Inside Iowa State

November 4, 2005

Extension finalists will visit next week

by Diana Pounds

Two finalists for the vice provost for extension post will visit campus next week. They are Jack Payne, vice president for university extension at Utah State University, Logan; and Frederick (Ted) Stilwill, director of learning for The Environmental Project, Coralville. A third finalist, Linda Jo Turner, withdrew her name from consideration Oct. 31 after accepting an appointment as interim vice provost for extension at the University of Missouri.

The finalists will visit campus for two days, and speak and answer questions at an open forum. The forums are from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Howe Hall auditorium. The public also can participate in the forums via computers with broadband Internet connections. (See http://www.provost.iastate.edu/positions/vpext for details on how to participate online.)

The forum dates are:

• Nov. 8: Ted Stilwill
• Nov. 10: Jack Payne

Following is information about the finalists. (Their vitae are online at http://www.provost.iastate.edu/positions/vpext-interview.html.)

Payne has served as vice president for University Extension, director of the Utah Cooperative Extension Service, dean of Continuing Education and professor in the College of Natural Resources at Utah State University since 2001.

Payne oversaw the start-up of The American National Fish and Wildlife Museum, Springfield, Mo., serving as its first CEO and president (2000-01). Prior to that, he spent 10 years with Ducks Unlimited Inc., serving as national director and western states director of the private lands program (1990-1996), acting executive director of Ducks Unlimited de Mexico (1996-1999) and national director of conservation (1996-2000).

He held faculty and extension wildlife positions at Texas A&M University (1985-1990) and Pennsylvania State University (1983-1985).

Payne earned a B.A. in biology from Temple University, Philadelphia (1969), and M.S. in fisheries science (1979) and Ph.D. in wildlife science (1983), both from Utah State University, Logan.

Stilwill has served since August 2004 as director of learning for The Environmental Project in Coralville.

Prior to that, he worked for 16 years in the Iowa Department of Education, as administrator of the elementary and secondary education division (1988-1995) and director of the department (1995-2004).

Before joining state government, Stilwill was a teacher and school administrator for Council Bluffs Community Schools (1970-1988). He served as an elementary teacher, assistant principal, principal and assistant director of curriculum and instruction for the district, before being named executive director of education services.

Stilwill earned a B.A. in psychology and sociology from the University of Iowa (1970) and M.S. in teaching from Drake University (1971).

Vice provost for extension Stanley Johnson last spring announced his intent to retire this fall.

Open forums for the finalists will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Howe auditorium. The forum dates are:

• Nov. 8: Ted Stilwill
• Nov. 10: Jack Payne