FRIDAY 1/21/2022 4:15 p.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — University of Wisconsin System leaders have chosen prominent business attorney Jay Rothman as the next system president.

The pick Friday comes after the system went almost two years without a permanent leader. Former Gov. Tommy Thompson has been serving as interim president since Ray Cross retired in June 2020.

Rothman has served as chairman and CEO of Foley & Lardner since 2011. He joined the firm in 1986 and has been a partner since 1994.

He has no experience administering higher education. He beat out UW-Eau Claire Chancellor James Schmidt to win the job.

Original Story: Attorney, chancellor named as UW System president finalists

FRIDAY 1/14/2022 1:22 p.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The chairman of a prominent international law firm based in Milwaukee and the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire campus have been named as finalists to be president at the UW System.

The finalists announced Friday are business attorney Jay Rothman, chairman and CEO of the Foley & Lardner law firm and James Schmidt, UW-Eau Claire chancellor.

Rothman and Schmidt will be interviewed Tuesday by a subcommittee of regents and other groups, including chancellors, UW System executive leaders and others.

The regent subcommittee will forward a recommendation to the full UW Board of Regents, which is expected to name the next president by the end of the month.

Interim University of Wisconsin President Tommy Thompson announced that he submitted his letter of resignation back on Jan. 7. The resignation is effective starting March 18.