Culver appoints 4 to Iowa Regents

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By Todd Dorman | Friday, March 16, 2007 1:11 AM CDT | () comments

(THE ASSOCIATED PRESS) Gov. Chet Culver, right, talks with his appointees to the Iowa Board of Regents on Thursday at the Capitol in Des Moines. Clockwise, from bottom left are: Craig Lang, Bonnie Campbell (face hidden), Jack Evans and David Miles.

DES MOINES — Gov. Chet Culver put his stamp on the Iowa Board of Regents by appointing four new members Thursday, including former Iowa Attorney General Bonnie Campbell.

Alongside Campbell, Culver nominated Iowa Farm Bureau President Craig Lang of Brooklyn, Cedar Rapids philanthropist Jack Evans and West Des Moines renewable energy executive David Miles.

Campbell and Miles are Democrats, while Evans and Lang are Republicans.

“I’ve made it pretty clear, both during the campaign and as the governor, that I think it’s time for a fresh start,” Culver said as he introduced his appointments to the nine-member board. “I think it’s healthy to have a new perspective and a new approach.”

The board governs Iowa’s three state universities as well as special schools for blind and deaf students. Culver’s appointments are subject to Senate confirmation, and initial reaction from lawmakers was positive Thursday.

“They look like outstanding Iowans,” said Senate Minority Leader Mary Lundby, R-Marion. “They certainly appear to be qualified.”

Lundby praised Culver for shaking up the board’s membership.

“I think it was a very wise thing to do, and it was necessary,” Lundby said.

The board has been embroiled in controversy since last fall over its handling of the search for a new president at the University of Iowa. The board abruptly scrapped a short list of presidential finalists named by a search committee, prompting outcry from students, faculty and some Statehouse leaders.

The board also drew fire from open government advocates who argued the search process was secretive and failed to allow for public scrutiny.

All four new appointees pledged Thursday to strive for more openness.

“This is a group that’s committed to transparency,” Evans said.

Culver steered a middle path in the controversy by using his appointment powers to fill four open seats while allowing the rest of the board, including its controversial president, Michael Gartner, to remain in place.

Culver filled the seat of Tom Bedell of Spirit Lake, who stepped down last year, and Teresa Wahlert, who did not reapply to serve on the board.

Board members Amir Arbisser of Davenport and Mary Ellen Becker of Oskaloosa reapplied, but were not reappointed by Culver.

Arbisser praised the new appointees.

“I’ve seen the list. I have to say I think the governor made inspired choices,” Arbisser said. “They’re terrific individuals.”

Campbell, 58, served one term as Iowa’s attorney general — the first woman to hold that office — and was the Democratic nominee for governor in 1994. She also was appointed by President Clinton in 1995 to head the U.S. Department of Justice’s Violence Against Women Office.

Campbell was a key ally in Culver’s successful campaign for governor and chaired his transition team.

“I totally believe that this is one of the most important positions one could hold, especially now,’ Campbell said.

Lang, 55, a grain and dairy farmer, has served as president of the Iowa Farm Bureau since 2001. He’s also served on the Iowa Economic Development Board.

“The board (of Regents) is serious business because we’re talking about our youth,” Lang said.

Miles, 49, is chief financial officer for Countryside Renewable Energy, Inc., a firm created last year to consolidate independent ethanol plants. He previously worked as executive vice president of mutual funds at Principal Financial Group.

Evans, 58, is president of The Hall-Perrine Foundation, a private philanthropic corporation in Cedar Rapids. He is a former member of the governing board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Todd Dorman can be contacted at (515) 243-0138 or todd.dorman@lee.net.