In a surprise move to him and many at Flathead Valley Community College, Bob Nystuen, chairman of the college board of trustees, has been appointed to the Montana Board of Regents by Gov. Steve Bullock.

Nystuen, who got the news and accepted the appointment late last week, immediately crafted a letter of resignation from his position as a trustee at the Kalispell community college.

He came to thank his former fellow trustees at Monday’s board meeting.

“It’s pretty weird to be on this side of the room,” he said from the podium reserved for public comments. “I had to hustle up to put in a resignation letter after finding out because I didn’t want any sort of conflict. I wanted to thank you all for the amazing years on the board here.”

Nystuen is president of Glacier Bank and had served on the Flathead Valley Community College Board of Trustees since 2002, filling in for one term and elected for another three.

The Board of Regents oversees the Montana University System.

The Lakeside resident replaces Bozeman Mayor Jeff Krauss, who was appointed in 2012 to fill the slot vacated by current Commissioner of Higher Education Clay Christian. Regents members typically serve seven-year terms. Nystuen’s will expire in February 2022.

“I was kind of taken aback by how long the term was,” Nystuen said. “I’ll be 69 when it’s over!”

Nystuen is the only representative on the Board of Regents from Northwest Montana, with the other five hailing from Missoula, Billings, Great Falls and Havre.

“With my experience over the last 13 years I’d like to think I could bring a strong element of two-year education to the board,” he said. “I think the commissioner [of higher education] understands what we do here as a community college. Something which wasn’t always the case.”

Nystuen thanked the voters who elected him several times, the colleagues he had spent years with and all those at the college he enjoyed working with.

“I remember the challenges, riding through the downturn and the explosion in enrollment,” he said.

“I’m so thankful for the great relationship with Dr. [Jane] Karas,” he said of the FVCC president

As people at the meeting stood to applaud Nystuen’s tenure, he reminded them he was only a call away should the college ever need his help.

Shannon Lund is the new chairwoman of the college board. John Phelps is vice chairman and Mark Holston is secretary.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.