Foreman out as Warden at ISP

FORT MADISON – According to unofficial information coming out of Iowa State Penitentiary this morning, current Warden Mark Foreman will be resigning from his post effective Friday, Feb. 13.
Foreman was appointed to the position in May, his 18^th post in correction work across the country.
Rumors had been circulating since Feb. 3 that Foreman had been placed on administrative leave, but Iowa Department of Corrections officials have declined to comment on the status of Foreman’s employment with the DOC for the past nine days.
An internal email was obtained by Pen City Current Thursday morning written by DOC Director Beth Skinner to ISP staff indicating Foreman’s last day is Friday and that Mitchellville Warden Margaret Waddle will be assisting through the leadership transition.
Pen City Current has made multiple attempts to confirm this information, as well as the rumors circulating over the  days that Foreman had been placed on administrative leave on or about Feb. 3.

Those attempts included a very brief phone conversation with Iowa Dept. of Corrections Chief of Staff Paul Cornelius, phone calls to Foreman, and email and phone calls to DOC Communications Specialist Zach Carlyle.
In the conversation with Cornelius, he said he couldn’t talk about “any of that” and when pressed as to why he couldn’t at least confirm the administrative leave without specifics of any investigation, he replied “Thank you for your time,” and promptly hung up.
In a follow-up emails to Cornelius again looking for confirmation of the suspension, he wrote: “The Department does not provide confirmation or comment on individual personnel matters, including assignments or administrative actions. We have no additional information to share.”
Phone calls to Foreman were unreturned as well.
Foreman joined the Iowa Department of corrections after more than 30 years in corrections including stints in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Georgia and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.