Branstad chief of staff joins Rastetter firm

CEDAR RAPIDS - Michael Bousselot, who until recently was Gov. Terry Branstad's chief of staff, is going to work for an ally and major contributor to the former governor.

Bousselot has been named managing director and head of external relations for Summit Agricultural Group, which was founded in 1990 by Bruce Rastetter, who was Branstad's choice in 2011 to join the Iowa Board of Regents, which oversees the state's three public universities, as well as the schools for the sight- and hearing-impaired.

Bousselot's responsibilities include relationship development with both current and potential stakeholders and the growth of Summit Agricultural Group investment initiatives in the United States and Brazil.

'We've identified strong growth potential both here in the U.S. and internationally in the areas of renewable energy, emerging industries and agriculture investment,” said Rastetter, who continues to serve as CEO of Summit Agricultural Group that has operations including row crop, beef cattle and pork farms in the United States and a growing presence in the South American biofuels market.

Bousselot, 34, who served as chief of staff, legal counsel and policy adviser to Branstad for six years, will work at Summit's headquarters near Alden beginning June 8.

He previously worked as an attorney in private practice in his hometown of Davenport where he represented individuals, businesses and medical professionals throughout Iowa and Illinois. Before that, he was a consultant for Deloitte & Touche in Chicago.

Bousselot earned his bachelor's in business administration degree in accounting and his master's degree in accounting and business taxation from the University of Iowa and a law degree from Drake University Law School.

He and his wife Holly live in Ankeny.

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