Kenneth Gotsch named CLC vice president for administrative affairs

The College of Lake County has named Kenneth Gotsch as its vice president for administrative affairs, effective March 21. He replaces David Agazzi, who retired December 31, 2015.

According to CLC President Dr. Jerry Weber, Gotsch "comes to CLC with solid leadership experience, most recently with the Seattle Public Schools as assistant superintendent of business and finance/CFO. His prior experience includes seven years as the chief finance officer at the City Colleges of Chicago. He has a good mix of experience that stretches across public and private higher education, K-12 and city and state government. With all the issues from the state's budget and the challenges we will be facing, it will be great to have Ken's experience," Weber wrote in an email to faculty and staff.

At CLC, Gotsch will oversee the Administrative Affairs office, which supervises and coordinates the college's financial and business affairs. The college has a $203.6 million budget and recently received its 14th consecutive award of financial reporting achievement for its comprehensive annual financial report from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada. The college also recently won a budget award from GFOA for the fourth consecutive year.

Administrative Affairs also currently oversees Construction Management, Facilities Administration, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology Services, Police and Purchasing/Contracts. In addition, Gotsch will serve as treasurer of the CLC Board of Trustees and of the CLC Foundation.

At Seattle Public Schools, Gotsch successfully led their operating and capital property tax levy referendum campaign, which received over 72 percent voter approval. He was recently appointed to the King County Investment Pool Advisory Committee, overseeing the investment of $5 billion in local and county government investments. Gotsch's prior higher education experience includes serving as the vice president of business affairs/CFO at Columbia College Chicago. Gotsch was also the vice chancellor of finance/CFO for the City Colleges of Chicago under two different chancellors: Dr. Wayne Watson and Cheryl Hyman.

Prior to working for City Colleges of Chicago, Gotsch was chief financial officer at the Los Angeles Unified School District. Earlier in his career, Gotsch was appointed by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley as chief financial officer of the Chicago Public Schools when the Mayor took over the beleaguered school District in 1995, serving under superintendents Paul Vallas and Arnie Duncan.

Gotsch, a suburban Chicago native, has a Master of Arts degree in public finance from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and finance from Marquette University.