Inside Iowa State
July 2, 1999
Finalists to visit campus
Governmental relations
by Steve Sullivan
Iowa State has announced three candidates for the position of director of governmental relations.
The candidates are Deborah Murdock, assistant to the president for government relations at Portland State University, Oregon; Gary Steinke, associate director of governmental relations at Iowa State; and Terry Thames, associate with The Renkes Group, Ltd., a Washington, D.C., consulting firm.
The director of governmental relations oversees university relations with national and state elected officials and their staffs, and with government agencies. The director also coordinates all university activities that involve congressional or federal relations and state legislative or agency relations. The director works under supervision of the president.
Thames has been an associate with The Renkes Group since 1998. Previously, she served in several staff positions with U.S. Sen. Trent Lott (1988-1998); as education program specialist for former Mississippi Gov. Bill Allain (1987); and as an education and state government reporter for The Natchez Democrat newspaper (1986). She received a B.A. in English/communications from Alcorn State University, Lorman, Miss., and an M.A. in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State. Thames will interview July 1-2.
Steinke has been associate director of governmental relations at Iowa State since 1995. Previously, he served as legislative liaison for former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (1991-1995); director of the Iowa House Republican caucus staff (1986-1990), and as a research analyst for the Iowa House Republican caucus staff (1985-1986). He earned a B.A. in political science from Loras College, Dubuque, and an M.A. from Drake University. Steinke will interview July 5-6.
Murdock has been assistant to the president for government relations at Portland State University since 1993. Previously, Murdock worked as a legislative assistant to U.S. Congressman Les AuCoin of Oregon (1991-1993); assistant director of public policy for the YMCA of the USA (1990-1991), and as a staff associate for the Oregon Community College Association (1982-1988). She earned an A.B. in political science from San Diego State University, California, and an M.A. in political science from the University of Oregon. Murdock will interview July 6-7.
Alumni association director
by Steve SullivanThree candidates have been named for the position of executive director of the alumni association.
The candidates are Bradford Beets, alumni association executive director, Wichita State University, Kansas; Robert Davies, executive director of the alumni association and director of alumni relations, Boise State University, Idaho; and Jeffery Johnson, vice president of alumni relations, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Johnson visited campus this week. The other two candidates will visit in the
next two weeks. Their visits will include an open forum, at which each will
talk briefly about his experience and views on key issues facing university
alumni associations in the next five to 10 years, and respond to questions.
The visits and open forums are scheduled as follows:
The executive director of the alumni association oversees alumni programming, events and communications, strategic plan and budget, and coordinates relationships with the faculty and individual college alumni representatives.
Jim Hopson, executive director of the alumni association since 1979, retired from the position at the end of June. Hopson joined the association staff in 1968.
Beets, executive director of the Wichita State University Alumni Association since 1997, also served as assistant director (1988-1991). He also served with the Kansas State University Alumni Association as vice president (1995-1997) and director of alumni clubs (1991-1995). He received a B.S. in marketing from Wichita State University (1987).
Davies, executive director of the alumni association and director of alumni relations at Boise State University since 1995, was director of annual giving and assistant director of alumni relations at the University of Nevada, Reno (1992-1995). He received a master's in business administration from the University of Oregon (1991), and a B.S. in management from University of Nevada (1989).
Johnson, with the University of Illinois Alumni Association since 1996, was hired as director of alumni relations. He was named vice president of alumni relations in March. At the Kansas University Alumni Association, University of Kansas, Lawrence, he served as director of membership development (1991), director of external affairs and membership development (1991-1993), and senior vice president of external affairs and membership (1993-1996). He also held several positions at the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, including assistant to the executive director of alumni relations. He earned a master's in higher education administration from the University of Kansas (1995), and a B.S. in computer science from the University of Southern Mississippi (1986).
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