McHenry County College names new president, chairs

McHenry County College has gone to Kansas for its new president.

After a nearly eight-month search, the board selected Vicky Smith, currently the vice president of Neosho County Community College in eastern Kansas, to run MCC. She has a 3-year contract and will be paid $195,000 the first year.

"We think of her as a kind of fixer, somebody who can come in, assess sort of the operational issues that we have here, help the board understand how to be more strategic," said MCC board member Bob Dewitt, chairman of the presidential search committee. "We thought that's exactly what we need at this point of the college's history."

DeWitt said Smith completely turned around Neosho's dysfunctional board and made the school a respected part of the community during her seven years there.

Trustee Mary Miller also noted Smith's good relations with community businesses: "She did a lot of fundraising at her college. I think she's secured like $3 million."

Before Neosho, Smith was vice president for academic services at Monroe Community College in Rochester, N.Y., where she oversaw two campuses and an applied technology center, according to a news release.

"I'm thrilled to be part of McHenry County (College) and move it to the next level," Smith said in a phone interview.

She will focus on the expansion of facilities and academic programs, especially in health care and manufacturing, to meet the needs of the McHenry County work force.

The search for a new president started in November and a pool of 53 applicants was narrowed to three. Besides the routine phone and face-to-face interviews, each of the three candidates spent a day with MCC faculty and students before a final question-and-answer session with the board.

The president's office has had a revolving door since February 2009, when longtime President Walt Packard resigned. He was replaced by interim President Larry Tyree. He resigned from the school last September. Since then, Kathleen Plinske had been running MCC on an interim basis. Her contrast ended a few days ago.

Friday's meeting also confirmed leadership changes within the board. Vice Chairman Miller will replace George Lowe to become the new chairman. DeWitt becomes vice chairman.

The decisions were not reached smoothly, though. Lowe, who has been on the board for 17 years, strode out of the room after his non-confidence vote, leaving seven other trustees to vote on hiring Smith. He returned after the meeting, confirming his stay as a board member.