New CEO
Lori A. Heafner will become the next president of South Carolina’s Horry-Georgetown Technical College (HGTC) on January 4. She is currently vice president for academic affairs at the South Carolina college, where she has served for 20 years.
Throughout her career, Heafner has helped advance academic and workforce pathways, transfer opportunities, dual enrollment and early college partnerships, and collaborations with K-12 schools, universities, healthcare organizations, businesses and community leaders, according to a release from the college. She previously served as HGTC’s vice president for institutional effectiveness and development for nearly six years and has also served as an adjunct instructor.
“Lori distinguished herself through her depth of experience, knowledge of higher education, commitment to students and understanding of the communities we serve,” said said Robert P. Hucks, II, chair of the HGTC Area Commission and Presidential Search Committee. “She knows this college and our region and has demonstrated throughout her career an ability to bring people together around a shared commitment to student success and institutional excellence.”
Heafner joined HGTC in 2006 as director of institutional planning, research and grants and became assistant vice president overseeing the department in 2017, and then associate vice president in 2019. Heafner began her higher education career at Cleveland Community College, first serving as an admissions counselor, then institutional research er and director of planning and institutional effectiveness.
Kudos
Kandi Deitemeyer, president of North Carolina’s Central Piedmont Community College, has been named to the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2026 Power 100: Visionaries, recognizing leaders shaping the future of the Charlotte region. Since 2017, Deitemeyer’s leadership has helped expand educational opportunity, strengthen workforce development partnerships and advance economic mobility across its service area, serving nearly 60,000 students annually and generating an estimated $1 billion economic impact for its community, according to the college.
Yoshiko Harden, president of Renton Technical College (Washington), will receive the Pacesetter Award from the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations District 7 (NCMPR), which includes colleges in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and Canada. The award recognizes a community college president or CEO who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and support for marketing and public relations and has made a significant contribution to the institution and the communities it serves.
Under Harden’s leadership, RTC became the first community or technical college in Washington to develop a Strategic Equity Plan. Her leadership created more opportunities for students, including RTC’s first TRIO Student Support Services grant. She championed partnerships with the City of Renton and The Boeing Company to expand the Renton Promise scholarships. Harden has also strengthened RTC’s role as a regional workforce leader. The college secured nearly $1 million in federal funding to expand its mechatronics program, which led to a campus visit by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray.
Michael J. Heindl, president of Northwest Mississippi Community College, has received the T.P. Vinson Award from the University of Mississippi for his outstanding work on the partnership between Northwest and Ole Miss.
The partnership between Northwest and Ole Miss-DeSoto began in 1996 when they expanded to the shared Southaven campus. The 2+2 Program has allowed students to go directly from Northwest to Ole Miss, finishing their bachelor’s degree all at one campus, according to the college. The 2+2 Path 4 program has also partnered with businesses such as Amazon to help prepare their workforce for changing technology, gain specialized skills and advance these students in their careers.
Anthony J. Iacono, president of the County College of Morris, has been named to the 2026 NJBIZ Education Power List, recognizing his leadership and influence in education across New Jersey. The list highlights exceptional New Jersey leaders across community colleges, public universities, private institutions and education organizations.
In its profile, NJBIZ asked the selected leaders about their proudest professional achievements, the changes they foresee disrupting education and the career advice that has guided them. Iacono noted that one of his proudest professional achievements has been “forging partnerships and collaboratively designing effective systems that advance the mission of community colleges, support student success and contribute to the vitality of the communities we serve.”
Susan Looney, president of Pennsylvania’s Reading Area Community College, has received the Crime Alert Berks County Barry E. Rohnbach President’s Award, an honor that acknowledges exceptional leadership and community service in the region. The recognition reflects Looney’s long-standing commitment to student success, community engagement and institutional excellence. RACC noted that, as its sixth president, appointed in 2018, Looney has led the college in advancing its mission of affordability, accessibility and quality for all students
Anthony E. Munroe, president of Borough of Manhattan Community College, has been named to City & State New York’s 2026 Manhattan Power 100.
The annual list recognizes influential leaders shaping Manhattan and New York City. Munroe’s recognition highlights his leadership at BMCC, including enrollment growth, expanded educational pathways and partnerships, and the college’s continued commitment to advancing student success and social mobility.
The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) had several of its leaders named to Virginia Business magazine’s Virginia 500: The 2026-27 Power List, an annual ranking of the commonwealth’s most influential business and civic leaders. They include VCCS Chancellor David Doré, Northern Virginia Community College President Anne Kress, Tidewater Community College President Marcia Conston and VCCS State Board Chair Mark J. Hourigan.
“It’s a proud moment to see the leadership of our State Board, our colleges and our system recognized alongside the commonwealth’s top business and civic leaders,” Doré said in a release. “I am grateful to serve alongside our system’s strong leaders and proud of what we are building together for Virginia’s students.”
