The three new members of the Board of Regents appointed by Gov. Susana Martinez last month are waiting to be approved by the New Mexico State Senate during this year’s legislative session.
Matt Chandler and Robert Doughty III are new appointees, while Jamie Koch has been reappointed to take the place of Regent Conrad James, who resigned following his election to the state House of Representatives in November. Koch will remain on the board for another four years to finish the duration of James’ term.
“The individuals I am nominating today come from a variety of backgrounds and are well-suited to help manage our state’s universities,” Martinez said in a release following the announcement. “They will provide thorough financial oversight and planning for these institutions, and I am confident they will adopt reforms designed to graduate our students more quickly and prepare them for the workforce New Mexico needs.”
Replacing Regent Gene Gallegos, Doughty III is a UNM alumnus, a practicing attorney and the chairman of the New Mexico Racing Commission.
The Racing Commission regulates the state’s horse-racing industry, including the Albuquerque Downs, which was subject to an FBI investigation in early 2014 after Martinez was accused of improperly awarding them with a 25-year lease extension.
According to a Santa Fe Reporter article, Martinez extended the lease after the owners of the Downs directed tens of thousands of dollars towards her gubernatorial campaign. The FBI has not, however, leveled any charges nor has the Attorney General’s investigation produced results, according to the article.
Matt Chandler, a former district attorney in Clovis, will take Koch’s position on the board. He was the youngest district attorney to be elected in New Mexico and has over 12 years of prosecutorial experience.
UNM President Bob Frank said in a release that he believes the governor made a wise decision with her selections for the new regents. He said that reappointing Koch will provide continuity in leadership at a time when the board will be experiencing major changes.
Koch, a UNM alumnus, has served on the board for 12 years and is the former president of Daniels Insurance in Santa Fe. As a former legislator, he was the original author of the Inspection of Records Act, which explains the public’s right to access government records. He is currently the chair of UNM Finance and Facilities committee.
“(The new regents’) legal backgrounds will be very valuable in dealing with all the complex issues that the board deals with,” Board President Jack Fortner said in a release. “Matt Chandler is a friend that I look forward to working with. Rob Doughty’s experience on the racing commission and the Gaming Board will be very valuable in dealing with UNM issues.”
Martinez did not name a replacement for Heidi Overton, who is serving a two-year term as student regent. She has agreed to keep her position until she graduates from UNM School of Medicine in May, according to the release.
Marielle Dent is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at mdent@unm.edu or on Twitter @Marielle_Dent.
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Who are the new regent appointees?
Robert Doughty III
Republican
Lawyer with ABQ firm Doughty, Alcaraz, & DeGraaw, P.A.
Bachelor of Criminal Justice from NMSU and a Juris Doctorate from UNM
Has been a strong reformer in raising the standards of horse racing conduct and ending the doping of racehorses
Matt Chandler
Republican
Clovis-based lawyer at Chandler Law Firm
Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Eastern New Mexico and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Tulsa
While working as a prosecutor, one of his highest-profile cases involved the 2005 murder of 10-year-old Carlos Perez, which led to the convictions of five individuals and the international manhunts of two men
Jamie Koch
Democrat
Former President of Daniels Insurance in Santa Fe
Chair of Finance and Facilities Committee and the Lobo Development Corporation
Has worked on reforms designed to increase the number of university graduates and decrease the number of years it takes students to earn their degree
