Jan. 2, 2018

Governor announces four appointments to Board of Regents

Updated Jan. 10, 2018

Gov. Eric Greitens has announced his appointments of Jason A. Klindt, of Kansas City; George R. Speckman, of St. Joseph; and Roxanna R. Swaney, of Liberty; as well as Student Regent Janay N. Orange to the Northwest Missouri State University Board of Regents.

All of the appointments, which the governor’s office announced Dec. 22, must be confirmed by the Missouri Senate before they can become official.

If confirmed, Klindt, a Republican, fills the Board seat of Gene “Francis” Dorrel, a Republican of Maryville. Dorrel’s term expired Jan. 1, 2017, but he continued to serve as the University awaited new appointments. Klindt’s Board term will end Jan. 1, 2023.

Speckman, an Independent, fills the Board seat of Jerry Genochio, a Democrat from Kansas City. Genochio was appointed to the Board in 2016 by former Gov. Jay Nixon, but was not confirmed by the Senate before a Jan. 31, 2017, deadline. As a result, Greitens withdrew Genochio’s appointment so he could remain eligible to serve on the Board. Speckman’s Board term also will end Jan. 1, 2023.

Swaney, a Republican, and Orange, the non-voting student member, are regaining their previous appointments to the Board. They also were part of the 2016 appointments by Nixon and had their names withdrawn last January so they could remain eligible to serve. Swaney's term expires Jan 1, 2024, and Orange's term expires Dec 31, 2019.

Klindt, who earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations at Northwest in 1999 and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University in 2002, is senior manager of customer intelligence at KCP&L, where he has been employed since 2014. His professional experience also includes 10 years as a communications director in the U.S. Congress.

Speckman, a 1989 graduate of Northwest, operates Touchdown Publications, which owns, operates and publishes the Savannah Reporter, a weekly newspaper in Savannah, and The St. Joseph Daily Courier, a daily legal publication in St. Joseph. He also owns and operates Pinnacle Valuation Services, a real estate valuation company serving the Kansas City and St. Joseph areas. He formerly worked in city management and served as city administrator for the cities of Savannah, Plattsburg and Maysville.

A 1984 graduate of Northwest, Swaney has worked for CenturyLink since 1999, serving in multiple positions within the company, including her current role as lead sourcing analyst. She is past president of the ArtsTech Board, a past president of the Institute for Supply Management-Kansas City and the former president of the Clay County Parks and Recreation Board.

Orange, a graduate of Oak Park High School in Kansas City, is a senior public relations major with a minor in criminal justice. She is active at the University in the Northwest Dance Company; the Student Activities Council; the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and the TRIO mentoring program.

Northwest’s nine-member Board of Regents is responsible for sound resource management of the University and determining general, educational and financial policies.

According to state statutes, six of the Board’s members must live in the University's 19-county district. They must include one member living in Nodaway County and two living outside the district but no more than two voting members residing in the same county. One member must be a non-voting student representative.

Dr. Patrick B. Harr (R), of Maryville, serves as Board chair. Dr. Marilou Joyner (D), of Kansas City; John W. Richmond (D), of Albany; and Richard N. Smith (R), of Coffey; round out the Board, which has one open seat remaining.