Paul Tuss of Havre, the executive director of Bear Paw Development Corporation, has been named to the Montana Board of Regents, which oversees the state's university system.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer announced the appointment Tuesday afternoon.
Tuss will fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Lynn Hamilton of Havre, The term expires Feb. 1, 2013.

Bear Paw is a private, non-profit organization that administers regional economic development programs in Hill, Blaine, Liberty, Chouteau and Phillips counties and Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy's Indian reservations.

Tuss has a political science degree from the University of Montana and is a native of Anaconda.

Tuss has held leadership posts in the Montana Economic Developers Association, the Montana Nonprofit Association, Northern Montana Hospital and the University of Montana Alumni Association among others. Tuss has been appointed to serve on state boards and commissions, including the Tourism Advisory Council, the Montana Heritage and Development Commission and the Judicial Nomination Commission under Schweitzer and the Economic Development Advisory Council under Gov. Judy Martz.

In 2009, he served as a Board of Regents’ appointee to the Montana State University presidential search committee, which led to the hiring of Dr. Waded Cruzado.

He is a graduate of the University of Montana, is married to Havre City Councilwoman Pamela Hillery and has two children, Dolan, 18; and Caroline, 11.

He was a candidate for Montana Secretary of State in 2000.