The University of South Alabama (USA) has named Nick Lawkis as the university’s executive director of governmental relations.

According to a release to Yellowhammer News, Lawkis has been associate director of governmental relations since 2015 and was named interim executive director in February. Prior to his work in the university’s office of governmental relations, he served in several roles in USA’s office of development and alumni relations from 2011 to 2015.

The university’s governmental relations shop serves as the liaison with local, state and federal governments and agencies. Special emphasis is placed on monitoring the Alabama legislature and actions related to USA’s appropriation from the Education Trust Fund.

Lawkis holds two degrees from USA: an undergraduate degree in business and a master’s degree in public administration.

He is a graduate of the Alabama Leadership Initiative, has been named to Mobile Bay magazine’s 40 Under 40 and serves on a number of internal and external committees and boards. Lawkis is also a member of the Coastal Alabama Partnership’s Coastal 150 and serves as vice chair of Alabama Council of Government Affairs Representatives and as chair of the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce State Governmental Affairs Committee.

Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn