A Beatrice lawyer has been named to the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

The office of Gov. Dave Heineman said Wednesday that he'd selected Robert Schafer for the District 5 seat, which covers a mostly rural expanse of southeast Nebraska.

The 45-year-old Schafer is replacing Lavon Heidemann on the board because the governor had appointed Heidemann as lieutenant governor to replace Rick Sheehy. Sheehy resigned Feb. 2 in a scandal involving calls from his state-issued cellphone to women other than his wife.

The governor's office says Schafer is a member of the Nebraska Air National Guard and owns and operates a farm in Pawnee County. The office also says Schafer is a member and director of a swine operation in Iowa.

Sixteen people applied for the open seat.