By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)

Governor Reynolds has appointed a former Des Moines Police officer to be administrator of the Iowa Lottery.

Stephen Waymire retired from the Des Moines Police Department in 2022 and in that same year he was hired to be the Iowa Lottery’s Vice President of Security. Governor Reynolds said Waymire’s four-year tenure at the Iowa Lottery gives him “firsthand knowledge of the organization’s operations.” Waymire said he’ll “continue to uphold the Lottery’s strong traditions” while maintaining its “integrity, security and accountability.”

Iowa Lottery Commission Chair Dana Wingert, the former chief of police in Des Moines, is Waymire’s former boss. He said Waymire “has shown consistent leadership throughout his professional career.”

Waymire’s appointment must be confirmed by the Iowa Senate next year. Matt Strawn, the previous Iowa Lottery Administrator, resigned in May and is now president and CEO of a West Des Moines marketing and communications firm.

The Iowa Lottery recorded nearly $435 million in ticket sales in the 2025 state budgeting year. Sales figures for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2026, have not been released.