Update: Presidential Search Process

President Rosalind Reichard announced recently that she will step down at the end of the 2012-13 academic year. Her retirement will mark an era of leadership that has been highlighted by historic levels of campus construction, the development of innovative academic programs, and a dramatic increase in national recognition for the 176-year-old institution.

The announcement of President Reichard’s departure signaled a call for the Board to begin the process of searching for a new president. A member of the board of trustees' executive committee, Donna Proffit Vaughn, '68, of Eagle Rock, Virginia, will chair the Presidential Search Committee. Other trustees serving on the search committee include the following: Kyra Kegley Bishop, '77, of Chilhowie, Virginia; John Eldridge, '70, of Knoxville, Tennessee; Jane Hicks Harter, '73, of Cincinnati, Ohio; Rick Hughes, '76, of Charlotte, North Carolina; William Pendleton, '72, of Atlanta, Georgia; Fielding Rolston of Kingsport, Tennessee; and Ann Sparger, '68, of Salem, Virginia. Former board chair Tom McGlothlin, '68, of Bristol, Tennessee has also agreed to serve. Dr. Joe Reiff of the Religion Department and Dr. Christie Fleet of the Biology Department will serve as faculty representatives, while Jimmy Whited, Director of Housing and former staff representative to the board, will serve as staff representative. Junior Kyle Boden, of Knoxville, Tennessee will serve as a student representative.

The Board of Trustees of Emory & Henry College next retained the services of a consultant to assist in the selection of a new college president: Isaacson Miller. The firm, with offices in Boston, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C, was established in 1982, a time when few non-profit organizations used executive search firms. The firm has vast experience in the non-profit world in finding talented people to lead, not only college and universities, but foundations, advocacy groups and the like.

The individual in the firm working directly with the college is Jane Gruenbaum, who joined Isaacson Miller in 2004, and is now vice-president of the firm. Dr. Gruenbaum has a Ph.D. in political science from Columbia University, and most recently was the chief operating officer at the Center for Policy Alternatives, an advocacy organization advising state legislators. She has also served as the executive director of the League of Women Voters and brings with her 30 years of experience in non-profit management, advocacy, and academia.

The search for the 21st president of Emory & Henry College officially began on October 30-31, 2012, with consultants engaging in conversations on the E&H campus with nine groups and key personnel. The tasks, challenges, and context of the position were discussed and the development of an ideal candidate profile began taking shape.

Regular status reports from the search committee will be posted on the colleges’ website.

To find out more about what the search committee is looking for in a qualified candidate, click here.