JWCC creates advisory committee for presidential search
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
By DAVID CAMPHOUSE
John Wood Community College (JWCC) has formally launched its national search for a new president following the departure of Dr. Bryan Renfro, who was appointed Chancellor of Eastern Iowa Community Colleges. In the interim, the JWCC Board of Trustees named Josh Welker to serve as acting president while the search process unfolds.
To guide the selection of the College’s next leader, the Board has contracted with the Pauly Group, Inc., a national executive search firm specializing in higher education. The firm received 52 applications for the position and has narrowed the pool to 10 semi-finalists. These candidates will participate in virtual interviews in November with a newly formed Presidential Selection Advisory Committee.
The committee, chaired by JWCC Board Secretary (and former Pikeland Superintendent) Paula Hawley Sargent and co-chaired by Board Vice President (and owner of Sprague’s Kinderhook Lodge) Andy Sprague, includes a cross-section of stakeholders from across the College and broader community. Members include student leaders, faculty representatives, administrators, and local civic and industry partners:
■ Brady Althoff, President, JWCC Student Government Association
■ Diane Ary, President, JWCC Foundation
■ Amy Baker, Chief Human Resources Officer, JWCC
■ Dr. Kelle Bunch, Superintendent, Liberty CUSD
■ Jody Heavner, Director, JWCC Agriculture Program
■ Dr. Chris Kaelke, Professor of Natural Sciences, Faculty Senate President
■ Chris Koetters, Truck Driver Training Instructor, Faculty Union President
■ Tracy Orne, Dean of External Relations and Communication, JWCC
■ Mark Philpot, Blessing Behavioral Services; Quincy Human Rights Commission; Quincy Park District
■ Todd Triplett, Human Resources Director, Titan Wheel
■ Jeanne Yingling, Education Center Specialist, JWCC Mt. Sterling
Board Chair Bob Rhea attributed the strong applicant pool to JWCC’s growing national profile and recent student-centered initiatives. “John Wood Community College is on a positive trajectory,” Rhea said. “Our enrollment continues to rise, and the College community is invested in student success initiatives that are making an impact and being recognized by national organizations such as The Aspen Institute and the National Center for Inquiry and Improvement.”
Among the programs cited are Caring Campus, Rural Guided Pathways, and the College’s participation in the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME).
The advisory committee is expected to recommend up to four finalists for on-campus interviews in December. These visits will include open forums to engage students, faculty, staff, and community members in the selection process. The Board of Trustees anticipates announcing the new president by late December or early January.
Further details about the finalists and interview schedule will be released in the coming weeks.
