Dr. Walter C. Bartlett named PCC President

The Piedmont Community College Board of Trustees named Dr. Walter C. Bartlett as its fourth President during its meeting on Tuesday, July 14. Dr. Bartlett will begin his Presidency on Aug. 3, contingent upon his final approval by the State Board of Community Colleges on July 17. He succeeds Dr. H. James Owen, who is retiring after 22 years as PCC's President.

Dr. Bartlett has been employed at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute (CCC&TI) since 2005, where he currently serves as Vice President of Technical Programs.

“My wife and I are very excited about becoming a part of the Piedmont Community College family and especially the community-oriented Roxboro area,” said Dr. Bartlett. “We once lived in the Northern Durham area, and my wife actually worked at Roxboro’s Northern Middle School for a year. These two experiences helped us realize that Person and Caswell counties are very friendly and down-to-earth areas of North Carolina. We are truly looking forward to moving to Person County and beginning the process of becoming lasting members of the community and active participants in the activities of both Caswell and Person counties.”

Dr. Bartlett was selected from a field of more than 60 applicants from several states and was one of six applicants who came to the College’s Person County Campus in Roxboro for interviews with the College’s full Board of Trustees and for a “meet and greet” session with PCC faculty and staff and community members.

“The Board of Trustees feels that, based upon his qualifications, his interview and staff and faculty responses, Dr. Bartlett will be a good fit for the position of President of Piedmont Community College,” said Ron Booker, Trustee Chairman. “Dr. Bartlett’s combination of skills and personal background, his experience with the North Carolina Community College System, his personality and past familiarity with this area made him the best choice out of many outstanding candidates.”

Dr. Bartlett received a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Teaching in June 2008 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He also holds a Masters of Industrial Engineering from N.C. State University and a B.S. degree in Industrial Technology from Southern Illinois University.

The new President has worked in the North Carolina Community College System for more than 20 years. A Navy veteran, he was an electronics instructor for five years while in the military and began his career in North Carolina as program director/instructor in the Electronics Engineering Technology program at Durham Technical Community College. He also spent over six years at Mitchell Community College as Division Director for the Engineering/Industrial Technology Division and the Allied Health and Public Service Division before going to CCC&TI.

“I started serving in leadership roles while I was in the United States Navy and have honed my leadership philosophy and abilities over the past 30 years,” said Dr. Bartlett. “If asked what characteristics make a great leader, I would have to say integrity, honesty, and effective and open communication skills because I believe one of the most important tasks of a leader is building relationships, and I strongly believe that these characteristics are paramount in developing healthy and meaningful relationships. As President of Piedmont Community College, I promise to conduct myself in a manner that embraces and reflects these characteristics and to develop meaningful and long-lasting relationships with the faculty and staff of Piedmont Community College and the citizens of Caswell and Person counties.”

A native of Freeport, IL., west of Chicago, Dr. Bartlett spent his high school years in Orangeburg, S.C. Even so, he claims to be “an avid, diehard Chicago Cubs fan since 1965,” the year he attended his first Cubs game when they played the Milwaukee Braves (now the Atlanta Braves).

He is married to Melissa E. Bartlett, whom he met at Durham Tech during a team building workshop. She currently serves as Executive Director for 21st Century Learning for the Iredell-Statesville Schools and also is a member of the North Carolina Board of Education. Mrs. Bartlett was the 2002-2003 North Carolina Teacher of the Year (TOY) and was a 2003 Finalist for the National TOY.

Dr. Bartlett has two sons, Andrew, 26, a retail manager in Raleigh; and Matthew, 23, a Third Class Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy, stationed in Japan and serving as a rescue swimmer.

In addition to following the Chicago Cubs, Dr. Bartlett enjoys playing golf and traveling.

--Compiled by Bonnie Davis
PCC Director of Public Information

Piedmont Community College to hold informal
Meet & Greet Sessions to introduce presidential finalists
June 3rd, 2009

The Board of Trustees at Piedmont Community College has scheduled informal Meet & Greet Sessions for students, faculty and staff and the general public to meet the six finalists for the College’s next president.

Candidates and scheduled sessions are as follows and will be held in D120 on the Person County Campus:

Dr. Michael Helmick (click for bio)
Monday, June 15, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Dr. Ben Dillard (click for bio)
Tuesday, June 16, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Dr. Brian Miller (click for bio)
Tuesday, June 16, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Dr. Walter Bartlett (click for bio)
Wednesday, June 17, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Dr. Johnny Moore (click for bio)
Thursday, June 18, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Dr. Janice Gilliam (click for bio)
Monday, June 22, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

PCC Trustees name six finalists in Presidential search
May 29, 2009

Piedmont Community College moved a step closer to appointing a successor for retiring President H. James Owen on Thursday when it approved six finalists as candidates for the position.

The candidates are: Dr. Walter C. Bartlett, Vice President for Technical Programs, Caldwell Community and Technical College, Lenoir, N.C.; Dr. Janice H. Gilliam, Vice President of Student Development Services, Haywood Community College, Clyde, N.C.; Dr. Michael S. Helmick, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Western Piedmont Community College, Morganton, N.C.; Dr. Ben P. Dillard, Senior Vice President, Greenville Technical College, Greenville, S.C.; Dr. Brian P. Miller, Assistant to the President/Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Pitt Community College, Greenville, N.C.; and Dr. Johnny M. Moore, Vice President of Student Affairs, Indian River State College, Fort Pierce, Fla.

The finalists were selected from a field of more than 60 applicants by a Presidential Search Committee composed of seven PCC Trustees as well as PCC faculty and staff and community representatives from Person and Caswell counties.

Trustees will meet with each candidate to conduct on-campus interviews beginning June 15. PCC faculty and staff as well as community members will be invited to “meet and greet” sessions with each candidate. Dates for the interviews and “meet and greet” sessions will be posted on the PCC website after the interview schedule is confirmed. Trustees tasked search liaison Cindy Fox with finalizing the interview schedule for their approval.

According to the policy of the State Board of Community Colleges, Trustees must submit their top three candidates to the State Board for its approval. Once Trustees make their final selection, the State Board also must affirm the selection. Trustees expect to make their decision by July 6 and seek affirmation from the State Board at its July 17 meeting.

Dr. Owen, who has served as President of PCC since 1987, announced his plans to retire last October. He first set his retirement date as June 1, but later agreed to stay on until Aug. 1. He is only the third person to have served as President of PCC and is the first person to retire as President.

PCC Trustees contracted with search consultant Dr. Donny Hunter, Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of Community College Trustees and President of National Search and Education Consulting, for assistance in its Presidential search.

--Compiled by Bonnie Davis
PCC Director of Public Information

Piedmont Community College’s Presidential Search Committee met Thursday, April 29, at 4 p.m. on PCC’s Person County Campus. The College’s search consultant, Dr. Donny Hunter, led the meeting.

Search Committee members selected 12 candidates for further consideration after having reviewed application materials from 25 candidates since their meeting last week on April 21. The names of those 12 applicants were not released.

During the next phase of the selection process, the 12 semi-finalists will be asked to complete video interviews, answering essay-type questions provided by Dr. Hunter. The Search Committee will view the interviews on DVDs and then meet on May 21 to select four to six finalists.

The finalists will be invited to interview with the full PCC Board of Trustees in June on the Person County Campus. Trustees plan to submit the final candidate to the State Board of Community Colleges for its approval in July.

--Compiled by Bonnie Davis
PCC Director of Public Information

The Board of Trustees invites applications and nominations for the position of President of Piedmont Community College. The President serves as the Chief Executive Officer and reports directly to an appointed 15-member Board. After providing the College with 22 years of outstanding service, the current President, Dr. H. James Owen, plans to retire on June 1, 2009. The College has been led by three Presidents over its 39-year history.

Piedmont Community College (PCC) is a multi-campus two-year community college serving the counties of Person and Caswell (total population: 60,000). Located 40 miles north of the booming Research Triangle Park and 50 miles northeast of the Piedmont Triad, PCC is fully accredited and has an annual budget in excess of $25 million. The College has an enrollment of over 2,900 FTE and serves over 8,900 people annually. The College has been extensively involved in service to local business and industry and in supporting local economic development initiatives. It is one of 58 colleges in the North Carolina Community College System.

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of an earned master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or equivalent is required. An earned doctorate from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or equivalent is strongly preferred.

• Minimum of three years senior-level administrative experience, preferably at a community college, or equivalent, required.

Desired Traits & Characteristics

• Evidence of ethical, fair and honest leadership.
• An administrator of high integrity who sets high standards for themselves and others and expects full accountability.
• The ability to build and maintain good community relations.
• A visible leader who is accessible to all constituents within the colleges and greater communities and works well with students, faculty, staff, and administration.
• An innovative and creative leader committed to academic excellence and student success, possessing the ability to inspire and motivate faculty and staff to fulfill their responsibility to the maximum extent while providing high quality and accessible programs and services to students.
• Demonstrated ability to work to resolve controversial issues and problems in a timely and fair manner.
• A demonstrated ability to use collaborative leadership skills to build and implement effective plans that include actively supporting the development of partnerships between the College, business and industry, other educational organizations, cultural entities, and civic organizations throughout our service area.
• Is visionary, creative, and open to people and to new ideas.
• Is firmly committed to high academic standards, academic freedom, and excellence in teaching and learning.
• Can be an effective fund and “friend” raiser for the college.
• Remains current in understanding laws and regulations in which governing boards and administrators must comply.
• Is an articulate spokesperson for the College, locally, statewide, and nationally; and is politically astute with proven advocacy skills and a solid understanding of local, state, and national legislative processes and issues.
• An understanding and appreciation of the proper relationship between the faculty and staff and the President.
• An understanding and appreciation of the proper relationship between the Board of Trustees and the President.

Application Procedure

General Inquires
To make general inquires about Piedmont Community College or for clarification regarding application materials, contact Ms. Cindy Fox, Search Liaison to the Board, at (336) 599-1181, ext. 202, or e-mail at foxc@piedmontcc.edu

Confidential Inquiries
Confidential inquiries about the position, the application process or search process should be directed to Dr. Donny Hunter, the Board’s Search consultant, at 919-467-9754 (office), (919) 656-5626 (cell) or e-mail hunter@ncacct.org

The only application materials that will be considered are:

1. A letter of interest not to exceed five pages that addresses all items on the presidential profile
2. A current résumé
3. Information and Reference Form (choose format):
   Adobe PDF   MS Word

Please allow ample time for delivery. Applicants assume full responsibility for the method of delivery selected and any resulting delays in delivery. Nominations and applications may be accepted until the position is filled. Applications may not be transmitted by fax or e-mail.

To ensure full consideration, all requested application materials must be received by 3:00 p.m. (EDT) April  21, 2009.

Applications are to be mailed to:
Piedmont Community College
President Search
Attention: Ms. Cindy Fox    
P.O. Box 1197       
Roxboro, NC  27573  
         
For delivery methods needing a street address, the street address for the College is 1715 College Drive.

An NCACCT Assisted Search

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Links of Local Interest

Person County Government

City of Roxboro

Person County Tourism

Roxboro Area Chamber of Commerce

Person County Schools

Roxboro Newspaper

Person County Arts Council

Caswell County Government

Caswell Chamber of Commerce

Caswell County Schools

Caswell County Newspaper

Caswell Council for the Arts

NC Community College System