DES MOINES — Governor Kim Reynolds responded Wednesday to questions surrounding the appointment of a new director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Bruce Trautman served as acting director from May of 2018 until Reynolds appointed Kayla Lyon, who took over the position Monday.  Reynolds says nothing was hurt by having an acting director for more than a year. “We had an acting director in there and Bruce was actually the deputy for years, so he was very familiar with the office, they didn’t skip a beat,” Reynolds says. “He agreed to step into that role as the acting director.”

Reynolds says the appointment of Lyon was part of her overall plan to set up her team after winning a full four-year term.  “I said I wasn’t going to be under anybody’s time frame in putting the team together that I felt was really critical to really continue to move Iowa forward and make the changes that we are looking for. And I cannot be more proud to have Kayla Lyon to serve as the director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources,” according to Reynolds.

Lyon is the first woman to lead the DNR.