New Boise State University president David Hahn has created a new top management post — and hired a former colleague to fill it.

Hahn has hired Mitch Zak as Boise State’s new chief public and external affairs officer. In an email to the campus community, Hahn said he decided to “repurpose” a vacant leadership position to create the new post.

“The purpose of this role is to strengthen alignment across communications, external engagement and government relations so our colleges, divisions and administrative units are best positioned to advance their work and the university’s mission,” Hahn said in the email last week.

Zak was most recently primary spokesman at the University of Arizona. Hahn had served as the U of A’s engineering college dean before he was hired as Boise State president on July 1.

“Having worked with Mitch previously, I know firsthand his thoughtful, collaborative, servant leadership style, as well as his ability to build trusted relationships across complex organizations,” Hahn wrote.

According to his biography on the U of A’s website, Zak has more than 30 years’ experience across the public and private sectors and nonprofits. “He has counseled two governors and numerous chief executives and shaped successful engagement programs for a wide range of organizations,” according to the website.

Zak’s first day at Boise State will be Sept. 2. His salary is unknown; a Boise State spokeswoman did not immediately respond to an email from Idaho Education News Monday.