GOV. BILL RICHARDSON NAMES NEW UNM REGENT

April 3, 2003

GOV. BILL RICHARDSON NAMES NEW UNM REGENT

Gov. Bill Richardson today announced the appointment of John M. (Mel) Eaves to the University of New Mexico Board of Regents, replacing the late Donald Salazar of Santa Fe.

Salazar, 56, one of four new members named by Gov. Richardson to the UNM Board of Regents earlier this year, died recently of cancer. "Don will be missed," Gov. Richardson said. "His dedication to the betterment of our state and his love of education and specifically to UNM will not be forgotten."

In announcing Eaves' appointment, the Governor said, "Mel is from a distinguished New Mexico family. He is a prominent business and civic leader and an ardent supporter of UNM and of higher education. He will be an outstanding Regent."

Gov. Richardson also reiterated his goal to make "our institutions of higher learning platforms for research and development. UNM in particular is a great resource and should be an engine for economic development that will lead the state in creating a highly trained and educated workforce."

Eaves has served as president and shareholder of the Eaves, Bardacke, Baugh, Kierst & Kiernan law firm of Albuquerque since 1991. Eaves, who has been admitted to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court, among others, is a former member of the New Mexico House of Representatives, where he chaired the House Labor Committee and served on other committees. He also is a former member of the New Mexico Board of Educational Finance and Commission of Post-Secondary Education.

He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the UNM School of Law, where he also served on the staff of the Natural Resources Journal, a quarterly, international, interdisciplinary publication devoted to the study of natural and environmental resources. He also served as managing editor of the New Mexico Law Review.

Eaves is a former member of the UNM School of Law Alumni Association Board of Directors and is, or has been a member of the UNM Foundation President's Club and the UNM Lobo Club.

Eaves joins other Board of Regents members Larry D. Willard, president; Jack L. Fortner, vice president; María Griego-Raby, secretary/treasurer; Sandra K. Begay-Campbell, James H. Koch and Andrea L. Cook, student regent.

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