WCC president will retire in '07
By Renee Carey
Published in News on September 27, 2006 1:56 PM
Wayne Community College president Dr. Ed Wilson will retire in June after what will be 15 years of leadership at the college.
Wilson made the announcement at Tuesday's meeting of the college's Board of Trustees.
The president, who has worked at Wayne Community twice, once in the mid- to late 1970s and then again in 1992 when he came back to lead the college, said it was time for additional leadership at Wayne Community -- a new vision of sorts.
Wilson said he has enjoyed all 14 years of his work at the college, adding that his time there will be more than 20 years after he retires next summer.
That is in addition to the more than 39 years he will have spent in education.
"It's been a great 14 years," he told the trustees and college staff gathered at the board meeting.
He added that the board, staff and community's support has been why he has had such a long tenure at Wayne Community.
"You make my job a whole lot easier," Wilson said.
But now, he said, it is time for him to think of his family -- and a little bit of relaxation.
"I am looking forward to playing ball with my grandchildren, doing a little traveling," he said.
Wilson said he plans to stay in Wayne County and to continue his community service work.
The college president is involved in many charitable organizations, including the United Way, the Wayne Community College Foundation, the Wayne Partnership for Children, the Chamber of Commerce and the Wayne Development Alliance, to name a few.
He is also active in his church, First Presbyterian in Goldsboro.
And in addition to his community work, Wilson is active in community college and educational organizations in North Carolina and across the country.
But even with all his accolades, Wilson will be most-missed right here in Wayne County for the vision and dedication he has offered to the college for more than a decade, Board of Trustees chairman Tommy Cox said.
"We want to say thank you for the years of service you have given to this community," Cox said.
At its meeting Tuesday, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to hire Gold Hill Associates, a search firm specializing in finding community college administrators, to assist the board with the task of replacing Wilson.
Dr. Parker Chesson, a representative of the firm who attend the trustees' meeting, said the search should take about six months and will cost the college about $30,000 to $35,000. The firm's fee is $20,000.
Board of Trustees member Tim Haithcock said the cost is well worth it.
"(This) is one of the most important decisions we will make," he said.
Cox said after the meeting that Wilson's leadership at Wayne Community has helped position the college to continue to grow, improve programs and facilities and, ultimately, better serve the students in region.
"Wayne County has been truly privileged to have someone of Dr. Wilson's caliber running its college," he said.
Cox said replacing him will be a "tremendous job."