Former state prisons director Ernie Moore is returning to Lebanon Correctional Institution as warden, a post he held from 2004 to 2007.

Moore, 50, replaces Tim Brunsman, who moved to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction central office earlier this week.

The prison employs 509 and holds 2,609 inmates in minimum to maximum security levels.

Moore started his corrections career as a guard in 1987 and moved his way up to up the ranks to serve as inspector, deputy warden, warden and later department director during the Ted Strickland administration. He currently serves as chairman of the parole bureau in Ohio’s youth prison system.

“Ernie is a career corrections professional and with his history at Lebanon, I am confident that he will make significant contributions to our goals of reducing prison violence and offender recidivism,” said DRC Director Gary Mohr. He starts the job July 30.

Brunsman has been reassigned to the central office to work on violence reduction and population management strategies. His job title has not been announced.