INDIANAPOLIS -- Joel Silverman, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles commissioner who faced criticism over customer service issues and the agency's closure of several license branches, will resign effective Oct. 16, the governor's office said Wednesday.

The governor's office mentioned the resignation in a news release announcing several changes in Gov. Mitch Daniels' administration. The release didn't say why Silverman is resigning.

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Video: BMV Commissioner Submits Resignation

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Daniels spokeswoman Jane Jankowski said Silverman had made a two-year commitment to Daniels when he took the job and was resigning voluntarily. However, fulfilling a two-year commitment would have meant leaving in January.

In a separate statement released to the news media, Silverman acknowleged his resignation and thanked "associates of the BMV for their hard work and many achievements," but he did not say why he chose to resign.

Daniels said Silverman will be replaced by Ron Stiver, who currently is commissioner of the Department of Workforce Development.

In early August, Daniels said there would be repercussions for computer problems that hindered customer transactions at license branches over the summer. He didn't say what those repercussions would be.

Also in August, Daniels reversed Silverman's decision to impose late fees on people who missed July 31 deadlines to renew vehicle registrations. The late-fee issue was related to the BMV's computer problems, which began when the agency switched to a new system July 5.

House Minority Leader Pat Bauer, a Democrat, suggested to reporters over the summer that Daniels, a Republican, should fire Silverman.

On Wednesday, Bauer said he thinks the Daniels administration wanted Silverman out before the November election, "which shows some signs of intelligence."

"I'm happy for the public because they have suffered so much pain. It's been awful for them," Bauer said.

Before the computer difficulties, Silverman angered many lawmakers, local officials and ordinary citizens by closing more than 20 license branches.

Dan Parker, chairman of the state Democratic Party, said Silverman's performance at the BMV was poor, and that if he had performed similarly in the private sector, he "would have been fired months ago."

"The fact is that Joel Silverman created most of the headaches for (Daniels') administration, and it's about time he left," Parker told 6News' Norman Cox on Wednesday.

The following are the other administration changes that Daniels announced Wednesday:

Michael "Mickey" Maurer, secretary of commerce and president of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, who already had announced he would leave his posts at the end of the year, will be replaced by Nathan Feltman, current IEDC executive vice president and general counsel.

Miguel Rivera, Department of Labor commissioner, has submitted his resignation effective Oct. 6 to take a private-sector position. Lori Torres will become the new commissioner on or before Nov. 1.

Andrew Penda, Department of Workforce Development deputy commissioner, will replace Stiver as commissioner.

Harry Gonso, the governor's chief of staff, will leave his post before the end of the year. Earl Goode, currently the deputy chief of staff and former commissioner of the Department of Administration, will take his place.

In his news release, Daniels, who took office in January 2005, said "several outstanding people made two-year commitments to state government, so we knew transitions would begin to occur in the natural course of business."

Gonso and Mauer had made two-year pledges, which they were fulfilling, Jankowski said.

"Indiana has been so fortunate that seasoned, proven business leaders like Harry, Mickey and Joel were willing to enter public service. All have worked incredibly hard to reform state government and launch Indiana's economic recovery," Daniels said. "None of them needed either the jobs or the headaches."

Neither Daniels nor Silverman made themselves available for further comment Wednesday.