This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Gov. Gary Herbert appointed David Clark to the Dixie State College Board of Trustees on Thursday after the former House speaker lost a bid to be the Republican nominee for Utah's 2nd Congressional District.
Herbert said it was an "easy" decision.
"David Clark has served his constituents in southern Utah extremely well as a legislator and as a speaker of the House," Herbert said in a statement. "His wealth of experience in government and business will be invaluable as Dixie looks to the future."
Clark said he was "grateful" to Herbert for the appointment.
"As a southern Utah resident, I understand the significant educational and economic role Dixie plays in our state, and I believe it has a bright future as a four-year university and beyond," he said in a statement.
The appointment comes just about two weeks after Clark was caught up in a strange turn of events at the state Republican convention.
Clark and 10 other candidates vying for the congressional nomination saw a relatively unknown candidate — Eureka Mayor Milton Hanks — give a speech accusing Clark and three other candidates of conspiring against eventual winner Chris Stewart through what was deemed as an "ABC" effort — Anybody But Chris.
The fiasco resulted in state GOP Chairman Thomas Wright leading an investigation into what happened after accusations flew that said Hanks was planted by Stewart to blow up the election.
Wright said he expects that investigation to conclude later this week.
Clark also sent a letter out to delegates shortly after his eventual 14-vote loss that said the events at the convention were "bewildering" and that it was "a disgraceful scene."
"I had honest conversations with other candidates and trusted they would support me if they had said they would. No deals were made. No plans were choreographed," Clark wrote. "I did not say or send anything negative about ANY OTHER CANDIDATES because that is not why I was running for office."
Stewart, who is the GOP nominee, will square off against Democrat Jay Seegmiller and two independents, Charles Kimball and Joseph Andrade.
Twitter: @davemontero