“I am pleased today to appoint Dr. Mike Richards as a member of the Iowa Board of Regents,” said Branstad. “Dr. Richards’ medical knowledge and business experience make him a great addition to the Board of Regents. His belief in strengthening and preserving our state universities and providing affordable, world-class higher education for students will serve him well as a Regent.”
Richards, 68, draws on his extensive medical knowledge and business experience to support and advance opportunities in Iowa across multiple disciplines and sectors including manufacturing, gaming, alternative fuels, and medical technology.
Early in his career, Dr. Richards served as chairman of MedTec, Inc., a medical technology company based in Orange City, Iowa. He also served as chief medical officer of Iowa Health System, president and chief executive officer of the Iowa Health Physician Foundation, and chief executive officer of Iowa Physicians Clinic, P.C. He spent nearly 20 years as a physician in private practice, and completed staff assignments and served on committees at Iowa Lutheran Hospital, the Iowa Medical Society, and Iowa Methodist Medical Center.
Dr. Richards currently is vice chairman and managing partner of Quatro Composites, a carbon composite manufacturer with more than 230 employees based in Orange City, Iowa. The company manufactures equipment for the aerospace and medical industry. He previously served as president of Wild Rose Entertainment, an organization that employs more than 750 individuals across the state. Wild Rose is a venture of Dr. Richards’ longtime colleague Gary Kirke, founder of Kirke Financial Services, Inc., which specializes in business consulting and real estate development.
Dr. Richards earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and is a graduate of the University of Iowa School of Medicine. He is an active philanthropist and serves as a member of the Minnesota Children’s Hospital Foundation and as the past president of the Dowling Foundation.
Created in 1909 by the Iowa General Assembly, the Board of Regents enhances the quality of life in Iowa by maintaining the quality and accessibility of the five state institutions it oversees. The board is comprised of nine citizen members who serve staggered six-year terms. The Board of Regents oversees The University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, the Iowa School for the Deaf and the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School.
Richards will serve the remainder of a vacant term that begins May 6, 2016, and runs through April 30, 2021. He will be fulfilling the vacancy that was recently announced by former Regent Mary Andringa. His appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.
