Prewitt now MU Extension regional director

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Nevada Daily Mail

COLUMBIA, Mo.-- University of Missouri Extension has appointed Wayne Prewitt as West Central regional director. Prewitt was one of five regional director appointments announced as part of MU Extension's ongoing realignment. The new regional directors will join two existing regional directors as MU Extension adopts a structure that includes six geographic regions and an urban region.

Prewitt joined MU Extension in 1985 and has served as a regional agriculture specialist in the areas of farm management and agricultural business. Since 2010, he has served as interim director for the West Central Region.

Additional leadership experiences include serving as a county program director, Metropolitan Foods Team co-leader, County Program Director Revitalization Committee, Nevada Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees, Missouri Association of Extension Professionals president, Missouri Extension Leadership Development, and National Extension Leadership Development.

Prewitt received a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from Central Missouri State University and a master's degree in agricultural economics from the University of Arkansas.

The complete list of new regional appointments follows:

* Urban Regional Director, Cynthia Zluticky

* Southwest Regional Director, Jay Chism

* Northeast Regional Director, Shelley Bush-Rowe

* East Central Regional Director, Mark Stewart

* West Central Regional Director, Wayne Prewitt

"I have great confidence in our regional leadership as we focus on high-priority local programs and becoming nimble to meet increasing demands for educational programs and service," said Vice Provost and Director of Cooperative Extension Michael Ouart. "Our regional directors understand we must adjust to uncertain public funding and meet the challenge of generating additional revenue."

The newly appointed regional directors join Karma Metzgar, Northwest regional director, and Janet Kline, Southeast regional director, as part of a regional realignment announced on Sept. 11, 2012. The realignment process recognizes changes in the economic development needs of Missouri, population demographics, societal changes and funding constraints, according to Ouart. Regions have been reorganized taking into consideration the number of faculty and staff to be supervised, geographic distances for travel, and factors specific to each region.

"I want to thank the search committee for conducting a very thorough and professional interviewing and facilitation process," Ouart said.

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