LEWIS, Iowa -- Alan Ladd was able to get up to speed quickly when he started a new position with Iowa State University as a regional extension education director on Aug. 1.

He is already acquainted with the staff in the seven county extension offices that are part of his new responsibilities, and also knows the program specialists who will serve the area. That’s because he served for the past five years as the area extension education director for 20 southwest Iowa counties, including the seven districts in Region 17, Harrison, East Pottawattamie, West Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont and Page counties.

The new job duties mean that Ladd will be spending more time in each of the seven offices and with the elected county extension councils in each district, but the faces will be familiar. And arrangements have been completed for Ladd to be based at the Wallace Foundation Center in Pottawattamie County just west of Lewis.

ISU Extension supports healthy people, healthy environments and healthy economies. Ladd said his relationships with staff in each of the county offices mean that ISU Extension programming should continue this fall in much the same manner as in previous years. 4-H leadership training is scheduled in every county, and other familiar programs scheduled in one or more locations include the Horizons Project, Private Pesticide Applicator Training and Child Care Provider training.

In his new role, Ladd expects to be in each county office on a regular basis. He said the region is fortunate to be served by program specialists who have a wealth of experience.

Ladd spent 25 years with Kansas State University Extension before coming to Iowa in 2004 to take on an administrative role. He has a bachelor’s degree in animal science, a master’s in adult education, and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction, all from KSU.

Ladd’s office address is the Wallace Foundation Learning Center, 53020 Hitchcock Avenue, Lewis, Iowa. He can be reached by phone at (712) 769-2600 and by e-mail at aladd@iastate.edu.

He and his wife are the parents of three grown sons, all of whom are third-generation 4-H alumni.

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