AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University President Steven Leath filled two top university posts Monday, naming retired Rear Admiral Kate Gregory to senior vice president for university services and Husch Blackwell attorney Michael Norton to university counsel.
Both appointments are subject to approval by the Iowa Board of Regents, which is scheduled to meet in June. Gregory and Norton will be on the job at Iowa State starting July 11.
"I'm very pleased that Kate and Mike are joining Iowa State's senior leadership team," Leath said. "They emerged from two very strong candidate pools. Their expertise and experience are well-suited to these key university positions."
Gregory to senior VP
Gregory currently serves on the board of directors of the U.S. Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, Illinois. She was chief of civil engineers and commander of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Washington, D.C., from 2012 to 2015. She also has served as commander at NAVFAC Pacific and force civil engineer for the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and in various other assignments throughout the United States and in Naples, Italy, and Yokosuka, Japan.
She earned a bachelor's degree in general engineering (1982) from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland; and two master's degrees -- in systems management (1984) from University of Southern California, Los Angeles; and construction management (1991) from George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Gregory will become Iowa State's first senior vice president for university services. The new post was created as part of the recent reorganization of Iowa State's large senior vice president for business and finance office and accompanies the retirement of longtime Senior VP for Business and Finance Warren Madden.
In the senior VP for university services post, Gregory will oversee seven units: facilities planning and management, business services, environmental health and safety, public safety, Reiman Gardens, University Museums and WOI radio group.
Norton to university counsel
Norton has been a partner in the international, industry-focused law firm Husch Blackwell (Kansas City, Missouri office) since 2004, as a leader in the firm's higher education practice group. Prior to that, he served six years as a senior associate with Jones Day, Dallas. He has extensive experience in many areas which are important to the role of university counsel, including Title IX compliance, employment law, data protection, policy development and training.
He received a bachelor's degree in political science (1992) from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City; and doctor of law degree (1995) from Drake University, Des Moines.
Norton will lead the office of university counsel, which serves as legal adviser to the university and its units. He succeeds Paul Tanaka, who became director of ISU's newly created legal services office in 1994 and retired earlier this month. Associate Counsel Paula DeAngelo is serving as interim university counsel.
