A Belmond, Iowa, couple has established an endowed president and CEO position for the Iowa State University Alumni Association. The $2.5 million gift from Lora and Russ Talbot, announced Friday night during the association’s Cardinal & Gold Gala, creates the first non-academic endowed position at Iowa State. Jeffrey Johnson, the alumni association’s current president and CEO, will be the first holder of the endowed position. Funds will specifically support Johnson’s professional development and a portion of his salary and travel expenses, as well as expanded programming initiatives within the alumni association. It will also establish a new Talbot Student Intern position for the organization. The Talbots, neither of whom attended ISU, have supported ISU since 1998, when they established the Russell G. and Lora L. Talbot Scholars in Veterinary Medicine program. They recently established the Talbot Hall of Alumni Association Leadership and History at the ISU Alumni Center, among other initiatives. Lora Talbot is a retired executive officer for the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System, and Russ Talbot is a retired special agent for the Internal Revenue Service.