News

Search For New GTCC President Narrowed to Five Candidates

(Released: 4/7/2011)

JAMESTOWN -The search for a new president of Guilford Technical Community College to replace the retiring Dr. Donald W. Cameron has been narrowed to five candidates, who will appear at community forums later this month.
Each candidate is currently the president of a community college, according to Jim Bryant, a GTCC trustee and chairman of the search committee.

Cameron, who has been employed by the college for 30 years and the president since Feb. 14, 1991, announced his retirement last Oct. 14. At his retirement, Cameron will have worked at community colleges in North Carolina and South Carolina for 40 years, and in public education for 45 years.

The candidates will make independent visits to the college and appear at a community forum in the Riviera Room at Grandover Resort Hotel, 100 Grand Resort Circle, Greensboro. Each community forum, which will be open to the public, will be at 1:30 p.m. on the respective day of the candidate's visit.

Bryant said, "These forums are open to the public and provide an opportunity to meet the candidates, ask them questions and provide feedback to the GTCC Board of Trustees on impressions of the candidate."

Each candidate will also visit the college and interview with the Board of Trustees.

Bryant expects that the GTCC Board of Trustees will name their choice to be the college's next president by the end of May.

The candidates, their present position and date they will appear at a community forum:

• Monday, April 18 - Dr. Richard M. Rhodes, president of El Paso Community College, El Paso, Texas.
• Tuesday, April 19 - Dr. Luke P. Robins, chancellor of Louisiana Delta Community College, Monroe, La.
• Wednesday, April 20 - Dr. Jeff S. Allbritten, president of Collier County Campus, Edison State College, Naples, Fla.
• Monday, April 25 - Dr. Ann M. Valentine, president of Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Fergus Falls, Minn. (Released April 7, 2011)
• Tuesday, April 26 - Dr. George R. Parker, president of Vance-Granville Community College, Henderson, N.C.

More About the Candidates

• Dr. Richard M. Rhodes has been president and chief executive officer at El Paso Community College since 2001. He was vice president of business services at Salt Lake Community College from 1994-2001. He was vice president of financial and administrative services at El Paso Community College from 1992-1994. He also has served as an adjunct faculty member for the College of Education at the University of Texas at El Paso since 2004.    Rhodes received a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's degree in educational management and development from New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, N.M. He earned a doctorate of philosophy in community college leadership from the University of Texas at Austin.

• Dr. Luke P. Robins has served as chancellor at Louisiana Delta Community College since 2006. Prior to his current position he was vice president for instruction at National Park Community College, Hot Springs, Ark., from 2000-2006. He was dean of instruction at Eastern Idaho Technical College, Idaho Falls, Idaho, from 1997-2000. Robins received a bachelor's degree at Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill. He gained a master's degree in English and community college programs from Illinois State University, Normal, Ill. He earned a doctorate in educational administration and community college leadership programs from the University of Texas at Austin.

• Dr. Jeffery S. Allbritten has served as president at the Collier County Campus of Edison State College since 2003. He was director at the Pines Center Campus of Broward College from 2000-2003; and was dean of liberal arts and sciences at Florida State College at Jacksonville from 1999-2000. He was associate dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences at Middle Tennessee State University from 1995-1999. Allbritten earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry and a master's degree in mathematics at Murray State University, in Murray, Ky. He received a doctorate in chemistry from Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tenn.

• Dr. Ann M. Valentine became the president at Minnesota State Community and Technical College in 2005. She was vice president/provost at the Kenosha Campus of Gateway Technical College from 2000-2005 and concurrently served as vice president of employee services from 2000-2002. She worked as dean for instructional services at Independence Community College, Independence, Kan. from 1998-2000; and was dean for general education at Moraine Park Technical College from 1997-1998. Valentine received an associate's degree at Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and a bachelor's degree at Mount Mercy College, Cedar Rapids. She earned a master's degree in public administration and a doctorate in higher education at Iowa State University.

• Dr. Randy Parker has been president at Vance-Granville Community College in Henderson, N.C. since 2004. He was vice president of instruction and student services at Lenoir Community College in Kinston from 1981-2004. Parker received an associate's degree in mechanical drafting and design technology at Lenoir Community College. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at UNC-Charlotte, and a master's degree in mechanical engineering and a doctorate in higher education administration from NC State University.

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