Governor-Elect Rob Sand has announced the appointment of Lanon Baccam as Inauguration Director for the upcoming Sand-Muhlbauer administration.
Baccam will oversee the planning and coordination of inaugural activities scheduled for January 15 through January 17, 2027, ahead of the new administration taking office.
Sand said Baccam’s public service experience and background in bringing people together will be important in organizing the inaugural events.
Baccam said he is honored to serve as director and looks forward to working with the incoming administration to coordinate the inauguration. He noted that his experience in the military and public service has reinforced the importance of working across political differences to serve communities.
The appointment follows several other announcements involving the incoming administration’s transition team.
Sand previously selected Abe Rakov to serve as Chief of Staff. Former Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Mike Mahaffey and independent State Representative Brian Lohse were named co-chairs of the transition steering committee. Elisabeth Buck and Morgan Miller were also appointed co-directors of the transition.
About Lanon Baccam
Baccam is a combat veteran and public servant who grew up in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. His parents came to Iowa as refugees from Laos in 1980.
He enlisted in the Iowa National Guard at age 17 and was later deployed to Afghanistan as a combat engineer following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
After completing his military service, Baccam graduated from Drake University. He later worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture during the Obama and Biden administrations, serving in roles focused on veterans, agricultural employment opportunities and rural broadband access.
Baccam was the Democratic nominee for Iowa’s Third Congressional District in 2024. He currently lives in Des Moines with his wife and daughter.
Additional information about the incoming administration and transition activities is available at IowaForAll.com.
