OTTUMWA — The Iowa State University Extension has named the 20 people who will fill the regional director positions, part of the extension’s recent restructure to cut costs.

Sue Henderson, the ISU Extension education director in Monroe and Wapello counties, has accepted the regional director position for region 19, which includes Lucas, Monroe, Wapello, Jefferson, Wayne, Appanoose, Davis and Van Buren Counties.

Brian Dunn, the ISU Extension education director in Mahaska County, was named the regional extension education director for Jasper, Poweshiek, Marion and Mahaska counties.

Gene Mohling, the ISU Extension education director in Johnson and Washington counties, will be the regional extension education director for Iowa, Johnson, Keokuk and Washington counties.

“I’m excited to get going; I think we’re going to make some great programming happen. There’s a lot of potential in this area,” Henderson said.

“It’s going to be different now; it’s going to become a little more administrative,” Henderson said of her new job, which starts Aug. 1.

Most of the 97 county education directors applied for a regional extension director position; only 20 were given the title. Henderson said the ones who didn’t get the job are likely pursuing other job opportunities, have found a different position with the extension or are still figuring out what to do next.

Five area extension offices will be closed, which includes an office in Ottumwa. That office will be closed by August 31. Each of the 20 regions will instead have an office in an existing county office. The county’s that the regional offices will be in has not been announced yet.

Henderson said people shouldn’t be worried about the county extension staff losing their jobs.

“The intent is that the county staff that is there now is staying there. If we can find grants, we may even be expanding staff,” Henderson said.

Henderson and other directors will be focused on providing leadership for extension councils, initiating strategies, recruiting for Iowa State University, among other duties.

In the past, each county in Iowa has had an extension office led by a county extension education director. Wapello and Monroe counties share a director and Appanoose and Davis counties share a director. There are 92 county education directors and five area director positions. All of those positions have been eliminated, and all five area offices will be closed. It is also possible that some field specialist positions will be cut.

Instead of each county having a director and an office, the extension has mapped out 20 regions with clusters of three to nine counties each. Those clusters will each share a regional director. There will also be one supervising director of field operations.

ISU Extension’s reduction in fiscal year 2010 state appropriations was listed at $4.15 million.

Pat Shaver can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or via e-mail at p.shaver@ottumwacourier.com.