After a three-year hiatus, Iowa State has a new director of university relations.

John McCarroll has been appointed to replace the departed Cheryl Jensen, who left ISU in June of 1994. He will begin his new position April 14. He is currently manager of media relations and financial communications for MidAmerican Energy Company in Des Moines.

McCarroll’s hiring marks the end of a lengthy search process, said Murray Blackwelder, vice president for external affairs. The search began in October. The search committee, led by Associate Dean of Engineering David Holger, solicited nearly 60 applications. That field was eventually narrowed to six finalists. Each then went through a two-day interview process.

“It’s been a long, long process,” Blackwelder said.

One of McCarroll’s greatest assets is his “extensive experience from politics to the business world,” Blackwelder said. He said McCarroll “knows Iowa very well as a result of his work in industry and government. His experiences will be a great asset to Iowa State.”

McCarroll will serve as Iowa State’s chief spokesman.

He has worked at MidAmerican Energy since November of 1989. Prior to that, he was director of communications for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry from 1982 to 1989. He served as administrative assistant and press secretary to former Iowa Gov. Robert Ray from 1981 to 1982. McCarroll has also held several positions in print and broadcast media.

McCarroll said the position appealed to him for several reasons. “No. 1, it’s a high-level position which offers a number of opportunities and challenges.” The position offers a change of pace from his current line of work since he will be switching focus from a business to an academic setting, he said.

McCarroll said he was attracted to Iowa State as a whole. “I have a lot of respect for what Iowa State is doing,” he said.

While he said it would be “premature” to plan many goals for his position, McCarroll said one of his first priorities will be “getting to know people much better.”

Blackwelder said one of McCarroll’s first projects will be to implement an extensive communication plan for the university.

John Anderson has served as interim director of university relations since Jensen’s departure. Anderson was one of the six finalists for the position. He said he will remain with the university. “I will be very pleased to work with John McCarroll,” Anderson said.

“We’re working with Anderson right now to decide what his duties will be,” Blackwelder said.

McCarroll lives in Des Moines with his wife, Debbie. Both are natives of Independence, Mo. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.