Sunday, December 07, 2008
Pikeville College Names Next President
PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The Board of Trustees at Pikeville College has announced the selection of Michael M. Looney, Ph.D., as the institution’s 17th president.
Currently the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas, Dr. Looney and his wife, Diane, will join the College family in January 2009.
“I am looking forward to working with a great team at Pikeville College and really excited about the opportunities that Diane and I will experience in getting to know all of the folks at Pikeville and in Eastern Kentucky,” said Looney.
“Everyone that we have met has been so gracious and accepting of us. That said, there is a lot of work to be done over the next few years. When I started looking for a president’s position I was looking for a college just like Pikeville, church related, small, liberal arts emphasis, but more importantly in an area that wanted to help the local community become more highly educated. I have found that place in Pikeville College. Dreams do come true. The faculty, staff, administration and board of trustees all believe in Pikeville College and so do I. I look forward to taking the institution to new levels in the next decade and beyond. The mission of the College is a great one and having the osteopathic medical school, with a mission of serving Appalachia, is a great draw for me. I look forward to working with everyone to grow the undergraduate enrollment and to make the osteopathic school the envy of others,” he said.
In the classroom and as an administrator, Looney’s leadership and commitment to education have been significant. In addition to his work as provost, he also serves as a professor of chemistry at Schreiner, a private liberal arts university of more than 1,000 students located in central Texas and affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Looney is active in a number of educational, civic and community organizations, including the Texas Faculty Development Network, the Council on Independent Colleges and the Texas Academy of Science, where he was named a Fellow in 2004. He also serves on the boards of the Kerrville chapters of the American Red Cross and YMCA, is a Rotarian and an Elder in the Presbyterian Church.
Looney earned his doctor of arts in chemistry from Middle Tennessee State University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in chemistry from St. Mary’s University. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for teaching excellence and his research and writings have appeared in numerous publications.
-more-
“The search committee appointed by the board of trustees, working with Korn/Ferry, a highly respected professional search firm, and headed by trustee co-chairmen Roy Palk and Greg Hazelett, have done an outstanding job of securing a quality new president to continue the good works of Pikeville College in its service to the region,” said Terry Dotson, chairman of Pikeville’s board of trustees.
“Dr. Michael Looney and his wife will be a good fit for the College and the community as a whole. This search has been conducted as planned by the board in a timely and scheduled manner. The college community will be blessed with the efforts of the search committee as will be the area,” said Dotson.
The search for a new president formally began last spring following President Hal Smith’s announcement of his planned retirement after 12 years of service. Smith will assist in the transition through the spring semester.
During Smith’s distinguished tenure as president, Pikeville has experienced unprecedented growth with new academic and athletic programs and extracurricular organizations. A number of renovations and new capital projects were also accomplished. Most importantly, the College has celebrated the achievements of nearly 2,000 new alumni, including 250 new nurses and more than 200 teachers who are now serving and providing leadership in their communities. In addition, since its inception in 1997, the Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine has produced more than 450 new physicians and its leadership role in health care in the Appalachian region has expanded significantly.
“Twelve years ago, I was pleased to help with the search to hire Hal Smith. He was the right man for the job and he has done many, many positive things for our College and our region,” said Dotson. “The institution, in almost every area, is better today than it was 12 years ago. We will miss the efforts put forth by Hal and Karen Smith. They have been wonderful to our region and to the young people they have jointly served. We are very proud of the job Hal and Karen have done to serve the College and the region.”
In conducting a national presidential search, the College’s board of trustees appointed a presidential search committee including faculty, administrators, and trustees. The education practice of Korn/Ferry International assisted the committee in recruiting a diverse pool of outstanding candidates. Students, faculty, staff and administrators were also invited to nominate persons they believed could provide effective leadership to the College. Four finalists in the search visited campus in early October.
Pikeville College is an independent, four-year liberal arts and sciences college nestled in the heart of central Appalachia. Founded in 1889 by Presbyterian ministers seeking to provide educational opportunities for mountain youth, Pikeville College has played an integral role in the educational, economic and cultural development of its service area for more than a century.
Currently the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas, Dr. Looney and his wife, Diane, will join the College family in January 2009.
“I am looking forward to working with a great team at Pikeville College and really excited about the opportunities that Diane and I will experience in getting to know all of the folks at Pikeville and in Eastern Kentucky,” said Looney.
“Everyone that we have met has been so gracious and accepting of us. That said, there is a lot of work to be done over the next few years. When I started looking for a president’s position I was looking for a college just like Pikeville, church related, small, liberal arts emphasis, but more importantly in an area that wanted to help the local community become more highly educated. I have found that place in Pikeville College. Dreams do come true. The faculty, staff, administration and board of trustees all believe in Pikeville College and so do I. I look forward to taking the institution to new levels in the next decade and beyond. The mission of the College is a great one and having the osteopathic medical school, with a mission of serving Appalachia, is a great draw for me. I look forward to working with everyone to grow the undergraduate enrollment and to make the osteopathic school the envy of others,” he said.
In the classroom and as an administrator, Looney’s leadership and commitment to education have been significant. In addition to his work as provost, he also serves as a professor of chemistry at Schreiner, a private liberal arts university of more than 1,000 students located in central Texas and affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Looney is active in a number of educational, civic and community organizations, including the Texas Faculty Development Network, the Council on Independent Colleges and the Texas Academy of Science, where he was named a Fellow in 2004. He also serves on the boards of the Kerrville chapters of the American Red Cross and YMCA, is a Rotarian and an Elder in the Presbyterian Church.
Looney earned his doctor of arts in chemistry from Middle Tennessee State University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in chemistry from St. Mary’s University. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for teaching excellence and his research and writings have appeared in numerous publications.
-more-
“The search committee appointed by the board of trustees, working with Korn/Ferry, a highly respected professional search firm, and headed by trustee co-chairmen Roy Palk and Greg Hazelett, have done an outstanding job of securing a quality new president to continue the good works of Pikeville College in its service to the region,” said Terry Dotson, chairman of Pikeville’s board of trustees.
“Dr. Michael Looney and his wife will be a good fit for the College and the community as a whole. This search has been conducted as planned by the board in a timely and scheduled manner. The college community will be blessed with the efforts of the search committee as will be the area,” said Dotson.
The search for a new president formally began last spring following President Hal Smith’s announcement of his planned retirement after 12 years of service. Smith will assist in the transition through the spring semester.
During Smith’s distinguished tenure as president, Pikeville has experienced unprecedented growth with new academic and athletic programs and extracurricular organizations. A number of renovations and new capital projects were also accomplished. Most importantly, the College has celebrated the achievements of nearly 2,000 new alumni, including 250 new nurses and more than 200 teachers who are now serving and providing leadership in their communities. In addition, since its inception in 1997, the Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine has produced more than 450 new physicians and its leadership role in health care in the Appalachian region has expanded significantly.
“Twelve years ago, I was pleased to help with the search to hire Hal Smith. He was the right man for the job and he has done many, many positive things for our College and our region,” said Dotson. “The institution, in almost every area, is better today than it was 12 years ago. We will miss the efforts put forth by Hal and Karen Smith. They have been wonderful to our region and to the young people they have jointly served. We are very proud of the job Hal and Karen have done to serve the College and the region.”
In conducting a national presidential search, the College’s board of trustees appointed a presidential search committee including faculty, administrators, and trustees. The education practice of Korn/Ferry International assisted the committee in recruiting a diverse pool of outstanding candidates. Students, faculty, staff and administrators were also invited to nominate persons they believed could provide effective leadership to the College. Four finalists in the search visited campus in early October.
Pikeville College is an independent, four-year liberal arts and sciences college nestled in the heart of central Appalachia. Founded in 1889 by Presbyterian ministers seeking to provide educational opportunities for mountain youth, Pikeville College has played an integral role in the educational, economic and cultural development of its service area for more than a century.
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 8:41 PM 
