Board of Regents selects firm for presidential search

Board+of+Regents+selects+firm+for+presidential+search

Maggie Curry

The Board of Regents announced AGB Search from Washington, D.C. will assist in finding the candidates to be the next President of Iowa State University. AGB will be paid $110,000, plus expenses, for its services assisting with the search, according to a release. A new president is expected to be announced next fall.

AGB focuses exclusively on higher education leadership and was used in the search for the President of the University of Northern Iowa last year, which resulted in the selection of Mark Nook.

The request for firms released in March detailed four requirements, including high standards of diversity and ethics, equitable searches that foster diversity, knowledgeable candidates who understand Iowa State’s background and the ability to keep candidates confidential.

“AGB has a track record of doing great work in assisting in hiring of university presidents,” Dr. Robert Donley, Board of Regents Executive Director, said in a release. “Naming a university president is one of the top responsibilities of the Board of Regents, and we feel confident that AGB will provide outstanding support in this critical process.”

Donley was authorized by the Board in a special meeting on March 27 to issue the request for proposals from firms and establish the search committee. Three firms entered bids: Academic Search, Greenwood/Asher & Associates and AGB Search, said Josh Lehman, senior communications director for the Board of Regents.

From here, AGB will meet with the search committee. The committee consists of eight Iowa State faculty members from a variety of colleges including sociology, chemical and agricultural engineering and veterinary medicine, along with four Board of Regents members. Two student representatives from the ISU Alumni Association and ISU Foundation will be featured as contributors to the committee.

Considered candidates should be announced in August, with semi-finalists announced by the end of that month. 

Find more information on this topic here:

Who is the presidential search committee?

The initial search requirements