Workforce Safety and Insurance board chair Mark Gjovig will not serve another term, the agency says.

Gjovig became the head of the agency's board of directors after chair Bob Indvik resigned in January. Gjovig was appointed as an employer representative to a six-year term in 2003; his term expires Dec. 31 of this year.

"I am proud of the WSI accomplishments during my tenure at the agency," Gjovig said in a news release. "The dedicated employees at the agency are committed to achieving high standards that make the agency the benchmark for quality in the nation."

He went on to say he believes the agency must continue to remain a quiet and positive work environment to keep the focus on the betterment of the injured worker.

Gjovig had initially intended to apply for another term on the board, but told the Tribune that he had reevaluated his priorities.

"I think the big thing was I just felt like with the economy, I just needed to focus on our business,"Gjovig said. Gjovig is a businessman in Williston and works at Penkota Wireline.

Six spots on the WSI board are up for grabs as six members' terms expire Dec. 31: Gjovig, Michael Gallagher, J.P. Wiest, John Eickhof, Terry Curl and Ed Grossbauer.

A seven-person committee drafted from the heads of several statewide business associations is charged with finding three candidates for each of the four employer representative positions, currently held by Gjovig, Gallagher, Weist and Eickhof. The committee recently extended its deadline for applications to Dec. 12, as it only received six applications, including applications from incumbents, by its Nov. 14 deadline.

The committee must submit three names to the governor for each of the four employer representative positions. Current applicants are: Wiest with Wiest Truck Line Inc., Jamestown; Gallagher with Curtis Construction Company, Fargo; Jill Berg with Spherion Staffing, Fargo; E. Lloyd Bushong with Industrial Contractors, Bismarck; Dwaine Heinrich from Heinrich and Company Insurance Adjusters, Jamestown; and Rod Mayer from Mayer Electric in Minot.

According to statute, a similar process is in place for Curl's board seat as the organized labor representative: a statewide labor organization must submit a list of three potential candidates for the governor to choose from.

Grossbauer's position is appointed by the governor, not selected from a list of recommendations submitted by a committee.

(Reach reporter Crystal R. Reid at 250-8261 or at crystal.reid@;bismarcktribune.com.)