The Tennessee Board of Regents today appointed Willie Huffman as the next president of the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology at Paris and McKenzie, and approved criteria for the next presidents of Volunteer State Community College and the Tennessee College of Applied Technology at McMinnville.
Huffman has been vice president of TCAT Paris since 2007 and a staff member at TCAT Paris and its sister school, TCAT McKenzie, since 1988. He will succeed Dr. Bradley White, who is retiring as president of the colleges March 31 after 44 years of service as an instructor, counselor and administrator. White has been president since 2006.Huffman was one of two finalists for the presidency selected earlier this month by a search advisory committee. Both participated in an online campus interview and public forum March 11. TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings recommended Huffman’s appointment to the board after reviewing input from the campus community and conducting final interviews. The board unanimously approved and Huffman will assume office as president April 1.
Huffman earned a master of professional studies degree in strategic leadership at Austin Peay State University and a bachelor of science in business administration at Bethel College.
“I would like to thank Chancellor Tydings and members of the Board of Regents for allowing me the opportunity to serve as the next President of TCAT Paris and McKenzie,” Huffman said. “Both of these institutions have a long history of producing quality graduates and a servant mindset for the communities they serve. I want to continue and build on this long-standing tradition. I know with the help of the students, faculty and staff, it is possible. I have witnessed how a technical education can play a major role in changing someone’s life and have a positive impact on their community. I would like to continue to provide opportunities for both students and communities to grow.”
In other action during today’s quarterly meeting, the Board of Regents approved the criteria for the next presidents of Volunteer State Community College and TCAT McMinnville. Vol State President Jerry Faulkner announced last month that he is retiring effective Aug. 31.
At TCAT McMinnville, former president Warren Laux retired last year and Nathan Garrett, vice president of TCAT Murfreesboro, is serving as interim president until a successor is appointed. Detailed criteria for both presidencies are included in the board materials here: https://www.tbr.edu/board/march-2021-quarterly-meeting.
For the Vol State search, Regent MaryLou Apple will chair the search advisory committee, which will also include Board Vice Chair Emily J. Reynolds and Regent Joey Hatch plus representatives of the college’s faculty, staff, students and alumni and business and community leaders who will be named soon. The goal is to have a new president in office Sept. 1.
A committee for the TCAT McMinnville search will be appointed soon.
The board also approved new training programs at eight TCATs:
In other action, the board:
The board meeting was live-streamed and archived on the board’s website at https://www.tbr.edu/board/march-2021-quarterly-meeting. The full agenda and board materials are posted at the same link.
The College System of Tennessee is the state’s largest public higher education system, with 13 community colleges, 27 colleges of applied technology and the online TN eCampus serving approximately 140,000 students. The system is governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents.