07-28-05

Labh Hira will lead search for agriculture dean

AMES, Iowa -- A 21-member committee is beginning the search for the new dean of Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and director of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station. The search committee is chaired by Labh Hira, dean of the College of Business. Hira said the committee's goal is to name a new dean by the first of the year.

The successful candidate will succeed Catherine Woteki, who has been dean of the college since January 2002. Woteki will become global director of scientific affairs for Mars Inc., McLean, Va., beginning Aug. 1.

Individuals may begin submitting nominations for the dean position at anytime, Hira said. Nominations should be sent to Dean of Agriculture Search Committee, Office of the Provost, 1550 Beardshear Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011; or e-mail to agdeansearch@iastate.edu.

Search committee members are:

• Labh Hira, search committee chair and dean of the College of Business
• Peg Armstrong Gustafson, founder and owner, Amson Technology, LC., Waukee
• Don Beitz, distinguished professor of animal science and of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology in the College of Agriculture
• Jill Euken, extension field specialist, Lewis
• Cathy Good, program coordinator, Agriculture Experiment Station
• Brent Halling, deputy secretary of agriculture, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Des Moines
• Stephen Howell, director, Plant Sciences Institute and professor of genetics, development and cell biology
• Helen Jensen, professor of economics
• Pam Johnson, chair-elect, Iowa Corn Promotion Board, Floyd
• Glen Keppy, producer, Davenport
• Craig Lang, president, Iowa Farm Bureau, West Des Moines
• Paul Lasley, professor and chair of sociology
• Cliff Mulder, director, Iowa Soybean Association, Pella
• Deland Myers, professor of food science and human nutrition
• Gail Nonnecke, professor of horticulture
• Ricardo Salvador, associate professor of agronomy
• Pat Thiel, distinguished professor of chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Janette Thompson, associate professor of natural resource ecology and management
• Charles Schwab, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering

In addition, two student members will be named at a later date.

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