Board of Regents approves four University representatives to Nebraska Medicine board

The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska voted Sept. 25 to approve four individuals to represent the university on the Nebraska Medicine board.

President Gold presented Item 5A1, describing the slate as "selected for their expertise, their service to the university, and their ability to represent the board in thoughtful and deliberate manners," and asked the board to vote on the group together. The nominees were Mr. Ton Ostagard, identified in the presentation as chief executive officer and chairman of the Creed Carrier Corporation; Regent Paul Kenny, described as a lifelong agricultural businessman who serves as chair of the Board of Regents; Regent Jim Shear, introduced with a long record in insurance, school boards and state government service; and Regent Joel Makavika, described as a former professional football player who earned a doctoral degree in physical therapy and operates a chain of clinics in Nebraska.

A regent speaking as Jack voiced support for Ostagard and Makavika and urged the board to consider adding a person named Barb to strengthen fundraising ties, saying the philanthropic community "we're on about the 25 yard line. We have two to 300 million more to cor collect." The chair responded that a request to add or change nominees would need to be made as a formal motion.

The board then took a roll-call vote; a sequence of regents answered affirmatively and the chair announced "Motion passes." The board did not separate the four nominees for individual votes and approved them together.

The approval establishes four University of Nebraska representatives to participate in shared governance with Nebraska Medicine; next steps for onboarding were not specified during the public portion of the meeting.