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Iowa Board of Regents elects Mike Richards as new president

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The board that oversees Iowa's three public universities has elected a new president.

The Iowa Board of Regents agreed at a Monday meeting to make Mike Richards its 22nd president. His one-year term as head of the nine-member board begins immediately.

Gov. Terry Branstad appointed Richards to the board last year. He takes over for Bruce Rastetter, who had one year left as president. Rastetter's term on the board ended in April.

Richards, a West Des Moines entrepreneur and retired physician, has donated thousands of dollars to both Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, the incoming governor. Elections data show he's given them collectively at least $30,000 since 2013. More than half of that went to Reynolds.

Regent Patricia Cownie was also elected president pro tem during Monday's meeting.

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