CEOs on the move
Shah Ardalan has been named the seventh president of Randolph Community College (RCC) in North Carolina. He is currently president of Lone Star College (LSC)-University Park in Houston,
RCC’s board noted that Ardalan has led the LSC campus from its inception to become one of the most technologically advanced community colleges in the country. The trustees cited his passion for student success and empowering his staff and faculty.
Ardalan’s career experience includes several positions at Prairie View A&M University (Texas), starting as a senior systems analyst and moving up to chief information officer and associate vice president of operations. He later became vice president for technology services at San Juan College (New Mexico), and eventually moved back to Texas to work in the LSC system in Houston.
Erika Endrijonas will become the next superintendent/president of Santa Barbara City College in California. She is expected to begin on August 1. Endrijonas is currently superintendent/president of Pasadena City College (California).
“Dr. Endrijonas brings a strong commitment to the work we do for student access and success,” said Board President Jonathan Abboud.
Prior to PCC, Endrijonas was president of Los Angeles Valley College. She also has served as executive vice president at Oxnard College, where she was chief instructional officer, chief student services officer and accreditation liaison officer. Endrijonas also served as career and technical dean at Santa Barbara City College and was assistant dean/director of the University College at Oglethorpe University in Georgia. Earlier in her career, Endrijonas was the learner services coordinator at Granite State College in New Hampshire.
Scott Olson will be the next chancellor of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, effective August 1. He has served as president of Winona State University (WSU) in Minnesota since 2012.
Olson is known as a strong advocate for advancing diversity, equity and inclusion. Under his leadership, WSU increased enrollment of students of color by 95%, cut outcome gaps almost in half, and achieved the highest success rates of students of color among the colleges and universities of Minnesota State, according to a release.
“Scott has deep roots in Minnesota State and is known throughout the system as a collaborative and strategic leader,” said Roger Moe, Minnesota State board chair. “He has amassed an outstanding reputation in every role he has played, and has the skills needed to build a common vision of what Minnesota State can become.”
Prior to WSU, Olson served Minnesota State University, Mankato as provost and vice president for academic and student affairs. He also served the Minnesota State system office as interim vice chancellor for academic and student affairs.
New CEOs
Amy Bosley will become president of Northwest Vista College (NVC), which is part of the Alamo Colleges District in Texas, in mid-July. She is currently vice president for institutional planning and development and chief of staff at Valencia College in Florida.
Bosley takes the helm as NVC embarks on a new five-year strategic plan and the Excelencia in Education framework, according to the college.
“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Bosley as she is a leading higher education administrator and has a strong track record of serving the community college mission and students by improving student access and completion,” Alamo Colleges District Chancellor Mike Flores said in a release. “Her experience of advancing innovative practices in student access and completion will further the goals of Northwest Vista College and the Alamo Colleges.”
Previously, Bosley was vice president of organizational development and human resources at Valencia. College. Her other roles at the college included serving as associate vice president of organizational communication and development as well as professor and academic coordinator. She has also taught communication courses at the graduate level at the University of Central Florida.
Alexander “Sandy” Stewart will be the third president of North Carolina’s Sandhills Community College, beginning July 1. He has been assistant commissioner of agricultural services at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services since 2018.
Stewart previously directed the state agriculture department’s research stations division, which oversees 18 agriculture research facilities in partnership with North Carlonia State (NCSU) and North Carolina A&T State universities. He has also been a faculty member as an extension tobacco specialist at NCSU and as an extension cotton specialist at Louisiana State University. He also has managed crop research in the private sector.
Kimberly Zant will become the sixth president of Otero College (Colorado) on August 1. She is currently vice president for academic affairs at Cloud County Community College (CCCC) in Kansas.
With nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, Zant is a proven leader in advancing student outcomes, building strong and sustainable institutions, and forging innovative partnerships with community and industry, according to a release from the college.
“Dr. Zant will be a transformational leader for Otero College and the wider Arkansas Valley region. Her background in business and teaching, coupled with her experience in academic and student affairs, make her the right person to take Otero into the future,” Colorado Community College System Chancellor Joe Garcia said in a release.
At CCCC, Zant led the development and implementation of a comprehensive enrollment management plan that resulted in an 11% growth rate between 2021 and 2022. She also collaborated with and aligned curriculum to industry needs and partnered with K-12 schools to expand dual-enrollment programs.
Prior to CCCC, Zant served in workforce development roles with the Grossmont/Cuyamaca Community College District in California.
Kudos
Steven Gonzales, chancellor of the Maricopa County Community College District in Arizona, has been named the 2023 Export Champion of the Year by Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. The award is given to business and community leaders who have made significant contributions to promoting global trade for the Phoenix economy.
Gallego noted the college district’s workforce and economic development contributions in semiconductor manufacturing and other high-demand jobs in industries such as aerospace, allied health, manufacturing, construction trades and information technology.
“Dr. Gonzales and I share our vision of a community where an economy in which great jobs are just a training or a course away, and I am grateful that he is at the helm of the Maricopa County Community College District,” Gallego said.
Gonzales also serves on the American Association of Community Colleges board of directors.
Cesar Maldonado, chancellor of Houston Community College (HCC), was recently honored by the Texas House of Representatives for his work leading the college system over the past nine years.
Maldonado “fostered an inclusive, supportive culture for students and staff while boosting academic achievement through innovative programs,” says a resolution introduced by state Rep. Mary Ann Perez.
The lawmakers noted that under Maldonado’s leadership, the number of graduates at HCC has increased by more than 12% per year. The college also has forged partnerships with local industries to open pathways for students to enter the workforce. In addition, the resolution noted Maldonado’s leadership his through challenges such as Hurricane Harvey and the Covid pandemic.
“I am truly honored by this recognition. The Texas Legislature’s commitment to providing Texans with educational opportunities through community colleges has made and is making an enormous difference for our state and communities,” Maldonado said.
Keith Miller, president of Greenville Technical College (GTC), was presented this month with the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor. It is given in recognition of a lifetime of extraordinary achievement, service and contributions on a national or statewide scale.
“Keith Miller stands out for the innovative approaches he takes to clearing the path for business and industry, creating solutions that keep doors open, allow for expansion, and encourage employers to locate to our area,” said state Rep. Bruce Bannister, who nominated Miller for the honor. “He has taken the college he leads to a level of excellence that has an enormous impact on the Upstate and South Carolina.”
For example, GTC’s Center for Manufacturing Innovation, which opened in 2016, changed the way students prepare to enter the workforce in mechatronics, CNC machining and CAD design, with classes featuring project-based learning and team-centered solutions to manufacturing challenges in conjunction with Clemson University engineering students, according to the college.
Lin Zhou, president of Bates Technical College (BTC), has received the 2023 Chief Executive Officer of the Year Award from the Washington Association of College Trustees (ACT). The award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in furthering the mission of community and technical colleges.
Zhou was noted for her strong leadership in several college initiatives, such as pandemic crisis management, cyber intrusion recovery, implementing ctcLink (a state-run community and technical college web-based management application), improving completion rates and establishing connections for the “critical link between graduation and employment through partnerships with key employers and community stakeholders.”
Zhou, who will serve on the American Association of Community Colleges board of directors beginning in July, is BTC’s first female president and the first female Chinese immigrant to serve as president at a public two-year college in Washington state.
CEO retirement
Algie Gatewood, who had served as president of North Carolina’s Alamance Community College (ACC) for 10 years, has announced that he will retire in July.
His accomplishments over his tenure at ACC include:
- Passing a $39.6 million bond measure, the largest in ACC’s history.
- Construction of three new academic and student support buildings: the Advanced Applied Technology Center ($20 million), Biotechnology Center of Excellence ($19.4 million), Student Services Center ($6.7 million), and preparing to break ground this fall on the new $21.3 million Regional Public Service Training Center.
- Starting ACC’s first Early College that has enrolled 1,563 students to date.
- Initiating a last-dollar Promise scholarship program.
Gatewood has served in higher education for nearly 50 years. Previously, he was president of the Cascade Campus of Portland Community College (Oregon) from 2004 to 2013. He also has served as director of health, education and welfare at the University of North Carolia, Chapel Hill and assistant director of the North Carolina State Education Authority. Earlier in his career, Gatewood was dean of student services at the former Anson Community College (North Carolina).
Appointments
Alexis McLean will become vice president for student affairs at LaGuardia Community College in New York on June 5. She is currently dean of students at Medgar Evers College (New York).
Jason Tack has joined Finger Lakes Community College (New York) as vice president for administration and finance. He previously was controller for Career Systems Development Corporation and executive director of sponsored programs accounting at Rochester Institute of Technology.
At Iowa’s Southeastern Community College, Michelle Allmendinger will serve as vice president of student affairs and Corey Gall is now vice president of administrative services. Allmendinger was most recently dean of student development and interim dean of instruction at Clinton Community College (Iowa). Gall is formerly vice president of administrative services and interim human resources director at Carl Sandburg College (Illinois).
