Reynolds names new Iowa Communications Network director

The Iowa State Capitol on Feb. 13, 2024. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Monday that Ryan Mulhall will serve as executive director for the Iowa Communications Network beginning Aug. 30.

Mulhall served as the ICN chief information officer since March 2016, and previously led communications for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan and at domestic military bases.

The Iowa Communications Network (ICN) is the agency that oversees the state’s 3,400-mile fiber optic telecommunications network that hosts internet, data, security and consulting services across the state. The network is mainly used by public sector entities including state and local governments, K-12 schools, libraries and the Iowa National Guard, but private colleges, hospitals and clinics are also authorized users of the network.

Mulhall is taking over from Chief Administrative Officer Mark Johnson, who is currently serving as as the network’s interim executive director. Reynolds said in a statement that she believes Mulhall will continue important work at the state agency, including efforts to reinvest into the private sector.

“Iowans living in both rural and metro communities rely on connectivity across our state,” Reynolds said in a statement. “… Ryan is an exceptional leader with impressive experience, and I know he’ll continue to build on the trusted and reliable work ICN has already achieved.”

The governor gained the power to appoint the ICN director through the 2024 law that made multiple changes to Iowa’s system of boards and commissions and their powers.

“I am grateful to Governor Reynolds for the opportunity to lead the Iowa Communications Network into the future,” Mulhall said in the news release. “The ICN’s critical infrastructure provides connectivity for many essential functions in our state, including healthcare and 911, and we will continue to find ways to make the network more resilient, reliable, and secure.”