Inside Iowa State

Dec. 09, 2005

Payne is next extension and outreach leader

by Annette Hacker

Jack Payne, vice president for University Extension at Utah State University, Logan, will become Iowa State's next vice provost for extension and outreach on Jan. 15. The announcement was made Nov. 29.

Payne also is director of the Utah Cooperative Extension Service, dean of continuing education at Utah State, and a tenured professor in the College of Natural Resources.

At Iowa State, he will serve as director of cooperative extension, which has programs in agriculture and natural resources, communities and economic development, families, and 4-H/youth development. The vice provost also administers University Extension, which includes business and industry programs and continuing education and communications services.

"Dr. Payne has exceptional experience as an extension specialist, faculty member and administrator at several of the nation's leading land-grant universities," said president Gregory Geoffroy. "He brings a wealth of experience in resource management from the private sector. He will be a great leader for Extension in Iowa."

Payne said he was attracted to the vice provost position at Iowa State because of the size, scope and diversity of the program, the quality of the people, and the national leadership of ISU Extension, particularly in the areas of economic development and leadership.

"It is an honor to have this opportunity to be on the team of one of this nation's leading public universities and its first land-grant institution," Payne said.

Prior to joining Utah State in 2001, Payne oversaw the start-up of The American National Fish and Wildlife Museum, Springfield, Mo., serving as its first CEO and president. He also spent 10 years with Ducks Unlimited Inc., serving as national director and western states director of the private lands program (1990-96), acting executive director of Ducks Unlimited de Mexico (1996-99) and national director of conservation (1996-2000).

Payne was at Texas A&M University, College Station (1985-1990) as an associate professor and extension wildlife specialist in the department of wildlife and fisheries sciences. He also was an assistant professor and extension wildlife specialist at The Pennsylvania State University, University Park (1983-85).

Payne earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Temple University, Philadelphia (1969); and a master's degree in fisheries science (1979) and a doctorate in wildlife science (1983), both from Utah State.

Payne will succeed Stanley Johnson, who has held the vice provost position since 1996 and is retiring from Iowa State this month.

Jack Payne. Photo by Bob Elbert.

"It is an honor to have this opportunity to be on the team of one of this nation's leading public universities and its first land-grant institution."

Jack Payne