TCL Names New President

July 21, 2008

The Technical College of the Lowcountry Names New President

DR. THOMAS LEITZEL

The Technical College of the Lowcountry Area Commission announced today that Dr. Thomas C. Leitzel was selected as the next president of the college. 

Dr. Leitzel was in Beaufort on Wednesday, July 16, and met with college commissioners, faculty, and staff.   Dr. Leitzel was selected from a pool of approximately 100 applicants, one of the largest candidate pools ever received for a presidential vacancy in the SC Technical College System.

“After an exhausted search, led by the Commission’s Vice Chairman Art Brown, the Commissioners unanimously agreed that Dr. Leitzel exceeded all expectations in the characteristics we looked for in a new president. An offer was extended, Dr. Leitzel accepted and we are very pleased he will be joining TCL and our community,” said Angus Cotton, TCL Commission Chairman. 

“It is a high honor and distinct privilege to be selected to serve the students, faculty, and staff as TCL's next president. There are enormous opportunities to lead the institution to new levels of prominence, fully recognizing the dedicated leadership rooted in the stellar efforts of the TCL Commission and President McNutt,” stated Dr. Leitzel.  “I'm excited to begin forming new relationships that embrace the mission of TCL as we work together to foster learning opportunities that enrich the economic vitality of the four county support area,” he continued.

Dr. Leitzel was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the son of a United Methodist minister.  He began his academic career by earning an Associate of Applied Science Degree at the Pennsylvania College of Technology, formerly The Williamsport Area Community College, a well-known technical college located in North-Central Pennsylvania.  He received his B.A. in Business Administration from Lycoming College, M.S. in Education from Temple University, and his Ph.D. in Community and Junior College Education from Virginia Tech. His 30-year academic career in the public and private sectors included service to institutions located in Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. 

Dr. Leitzel currently serves as Vice President for the Charlotte Campus and Graduate Enrollment at Pfeiffer University.  Prior to joining Pfeiffer University, he served as the Dean of Business, Health and Technologies at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte. 

Dr. Leitzel's Bio

Tom was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the son of a United Methodist minister.  He began his academic career by earning an Associate of Applied Science Degree at the Pennsylvania College of Technology, formerly The Williamsport Area Community College, a well-known technical college located in North-Central Pennsylvania.  His 30-year academic career in the public and private sectors included service to institutions located in Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.  Tom currently lives in Tega Cay, South Carolina.

Senior Level Administrative Experience

2000 - Present  - Vice President, Charlotte Campus & Grad Enrollment Management, Pfeiffer University, Charlotte, NC.

1996-2000 - Dean, School of Graduate Studies, Pfeiffer University, Charlotte.

1993 - 1996 - Dean, Business, Health and Technologies, Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte.

Additional Administrative Experience

1991 - 1993 - Graduate Research Assistant, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.

1985 - 1991 - Associate Dean for Business, Science and Technology,

Chesapeake Community College, Wye Mills, MD.

1983 - 1985 - Assistant Director, Business and Computer Technologies, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, PA.

1981 - 1983 - Evening and Weekend Coordinator, Business and Computer Science Division, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, PA.

Publications/Presentations                                                                                                        

Authored or co-authored 19 articles in refereed journals and various other documents. 

Presented at 11 national conferences on topics including Workforce Development, Customized Training Strategies, Performance Instruction, The Virtual Curriculum, Packing and Unpacking Curriculum Content, Budget Coping Strategies, and Articulation. 

Education

Ph.D., Community and Junior College Education, Virginia Tech, 1993

M.S., Education, Temple University, 1982

B.A., Business Administration, Lycoming College, 1978

A.A.S., Business Management, Pennsylvania College of Technology, 1976

Professional Consultations

Consulted in five different state education systems with reforming techniques for planning, delivering and evaluating course content using a performance based curriculum development model. 

Teaching Experience

Taught classes throughout administrative career at all institutions where employed as schedule permitted.  A sampling of courses taught included Marketing, Management, Human Relations, Organizational Leadership, Organizational Communications, Statistics, Quantitative Analysis, and Research Methods.

The following bulleted points frame some of Tom’s accomplishments, active experiences, and core values as they potentially impact the Office of President for the Technical College of the Lowcountry.  

• operates with an open and honest structure of all matters
• values diversity at all levels in the organization
• listens and responds to concerns at all levels
• possesses extensive background in performance-based curriculum development
• ties individual planning to vision and mission of the institution
• capable of negotiating critical matters
• respects faculty as expert vanguards of the curriculum in their respective discipline areas
• delights in and celebrates the accomplishments of faculty, staff, and students
• believes in structure and respects the collaborative process
• seeks reciprocal partnership opportunities for mutual beneficial exchanges
• walks, observes, meets, greets and asks questions on a daily basis
• supports and attends student activities outside of the classroom
• delights in seeing engaged student development
• evaluates student and institutional success through employer satisfaction surveys
• believes the heart and soul of the institution is an inspired community of learners
• listens and responds to concerns at all levels
• serves as active volunteer in various community agencies
• responds creatively to budget challenges
• commits to establishing a comprehensive advancement plan.
• encourages constant assessment of student satisfaction so that problems can be identified and corrected

• established promotional campaigns to elevate the academic focus of an institution in a competitive market environment

• fostered media partnerships for increased market visibility
• expanded campus centers to new locations to meet growing demand
• supervised grants and sought alternate funding for creative projects
• championed faculty development teams to lead new program development
• establishes a prompt and responsive posture to employer training needs through credit and noncredit learning opportunities

• served as committee lead in workforce development initiatives with the Chamber of Commerce

• developed short term intensive workshops for area industries
• hosted national conference of American Technical Education Association
• partnered in master plan for a $37 million campus expansion
• advocates excellence through personnel development across the institution for all employees
• obtained funding from Ryder Transportation Systems to establish a training partnership for transportation and logistics
• worked with a college foundation to generate $4 million from local business community to support occupational programs
• partnered with local brokerage firm to tap into the benevolent involvement of investor group

• assisted in the development of donor facility naming opportunity plan
• produced record enrollment increases while contending with increased competition from other schools operating in the marketplace
• developed a responsive marketing plan with effective promotional campaign designed to increase institutional prominence
• accumulated financial experience in four higher education budgeting systems
• served as top level dean for a 65,000 student community college
• managed $42 million operating budget and supervised approximately 240 employees
• dedicated to upholding fiscal stewardship
• secured reaffirmation status on numerous accreditation projects.