Board of Regents appoints next presidents of Cleveland State Community College and TCAT Oneida/Huntsville

In a special called meeting Aprl 30, the Tennessee Board of Regents appointed Dr. John M. Davis as the next president of Cleveland State Community College and Timothy Smith as the next president of Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Oneida/Huntsville. Both are expected to assume their new duties in June.

The board's unanimous votes in favor of both candidates end months-long searches that began in December when the Regents approved criteria for the positions. Search advisory committees at both colleges – composed of board members, faculty, staff, students and alumni of the colleges, and business and civic leaders from their communities – reviewed candidates and selected finalists, who participated in campus visits and public interviews. TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings reviewed public and campus community feedback, consulted with the search committees, and conducted additional interviews with the finalists before recommending the two candidates to the board.

Dr. John M. Davis

Davis has been vice president of administrative services at Germanna Community College in Virginia since 2017 and an administrator there since 2008. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership from the College of William and Mary, a Master of Science in Higher Education and a Bachelor of Science in Criminology, both from Florida State University, and an Associate of Arts from Gulf Coast Community College. Before joining Germanna, he served as director of institutional research and strategic planning at Thomas Nelson Community College in Virginia.

At Cleveland State, he will succeed former President Andy White, who resigned last fall, and Dr. Ray Brooks, who is serving as the college's interim president.

“I would like to thank the Tennessee Board of Regents and Chancellor Tydings for this tremendous opportunity. Cleveland State is a very special place with tremendous potential and I look forward to working with the faculty, staff and the broader Cleveland community in moving the College forward in fulfillment of its mission. My family and I can’t wait to be in southeast Tennessee,” Davis said.

Timothy Smith

At TCAT Oneida/Huntsville, Smith is currently vice president of the college where he will assume the presidency. He joined the college in 2007 as a high school liaison and guidance counselor, and has served there and at TCAT Jacksboro in various roles at both, including vice president at Jacksboro as well.  He earned Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in Elementary Education, both from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

"I would like to offer my sincere thanks to the Board of Regents and Chancellor Tydings for the honor of serving as a TCAT president," Smith said. "I am excited to continue working with the faculty and staff at TCAT Oneida/Huntsville to provide affordable training and workforce development for our area."

He will succeed President Dwight Murphy, who is retiring this summer after serving as the college’s president since Jan. 1, 2006. During that time, Murphy also served 6½ years in a dual capacity as president of both TCATs Knoxville and Oneida/Huntsville.

The chancellor and board members thanked members of the search committees for their service. Board Vice Chair Emily J. Reynolds chaired the Cleveland State search committee, which included Regents Matt Herriman and Thomas A.H. White, and representatives of the campus community.  The TCAT Oneida/Huntsville search committee was chaired by Regent Miles Burdine and included Regents Christi Branscom, Makena Davis and Angela Richardson, and representatives of the campus community.

The board meeting, held by teleconferencing, was livestreamed and is archived on the TBR website here (https://www.tbr.edu/board/april-30-2026-%E2%80%93-special-called-board-m...).