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(AP & NewsDakota.com) — Longtime state senator Dave Nething of Jamestown has been selected as a finalist for an opening on the North Dakota Board of Higher Education.,

A screening committee on Monday chose Nething, retired Fargo school administrator Rick Buresh and data processing executive Kari Reichert for the opening.

Incumbent board member Richie Smith of Wahpeton recently resigned. Gov. Jack Dalrymple has to choose someone to fill out the 11 months left on Smith’s term.

Nething is a Republican state senator from Jamestown. He has served in the senate since 1966 and chose not to run for re-election this year. He is a former Senate majority leader and chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Buresh retired last month as Fargo school superintendent.

Reichert is a lawyer and a vice president of a cooperative data processing company in Mandan.