Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback announced the appointments of three men to the Kansas Board of Regents on Tuesday. Dave Murfin, of Wichita; Daniel Thomas, of Mission Hills; and Dennis Mullin, of Manhattan, each will serve a four-year term.

In announcing the appointments, Brownback said he was grateful for the men’s willingness to serve.

“The work of the Regents is important in ensuring our colleges and universities educate our students and prepare them to successfully enter the workforce,” Brownback said in a news release.

According to the governor’s office:

• Murfin is CEO of Murfin Inc., whose interests include Murfin Drilling Company Inc. and Murphy Tractor and Equipment Company, one of North America’s largest John Deere construction dealerships. He is a former president of the Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association and serves on several boards, including the Kansas University School of Business board.

• Thomas is a periodontist practicing in several locations, including Leawood. He is active in professional associations and also serves as director of the Kansas Arts Foundation and the Kansas University Hospital Authority Board. Thomas was named 2011 Professional Leader of the Year by the Asian American Chamber of Commerce and won the 2007 Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

• Mullin is chairman and CEO of Steel and Pipe Supply, one of the largest steel service centers in the country. He is active in organizations including the Flint Hills Christian School and the Business Advisory Council of the School of Business at Kansas State University.

They will replace board members Fred Logan, Robba Moran and Kenny Wilk, whose terms expire this month.

The nine-member Kansas Board of Regents governs the six state universities and is the coordinating board for the state’s 32 public higher education institutions.