Iowa City Press Citizen, IA
10-18-07
Baumert to serve as regent interim director
By Brian Morelli
Iowa City Press-Citizen
The Iowa state Board of Regents staff will be led by Andy Baumert during the interim period of the search for a permanent executive director, according to a
Wednesday e-mail from board president Michael Gartner to the other regents.
Current director Gary Steinke previously announced that he was resigning at the end of the month. Baumert’s new role will go into effect at that time.
Baumert, who joined the regent staff in 2004, currently serves as a state relations liaison for Iowa State University and serves as a primary public affairs and legislative contact for the regents.
He has served in lobbying, public policy development, and policy communication roles at the state and federal levels since 1987 when he joined the Iowa Pork
Producers Association. He has held similar positions for the National Pork
Producers Council, National Cattlemen's Beef Association and Land O'Lakes, according to the regent Web site.
Baumert will have all the duties and authority of the executive director position, according to Gartner’s e-mail, and will work closely with Regent President Pro
Tem Dave Miles in heading the effort to find a permanent successor.
“As all of you also know, Andy is highly respected at the universities and the special schools, at the Board office, and in the Legislature, where he has spent much time over the years. I believe that his acceptance of this appointment means we will hav e as smooth a transition as possible,” Gartner said in the email.