Tri-County Technical College chooses new president

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Tri-County Technical College has named its next president, the fourth in the college’s history.

Galen DeHay, a senior vice president on Tri-County Technical College’s executive leadership team, this week was picked to succeed Ronnie Booth, who retires June 30 after more than 15 years as head of the Pendleton college and its satellite campuses.

A committee conducted a national search over the past several months and interviewed DeHay and two other candidates in late March, according to a news release. DeHay will assume his new duties on July 1.

“Tri-County is a high-performing institution and we will build on our successes, with a focus on student success and economic mobility — helping individuals grow in their careers and in life,” DeHay said in the news release. “We will build on the college’s prior successes in the areas of helping students to be successful and continuing to be an asset for economic development.”

Under DeHay’s direction, the college has developed manufacturing and health care pathways for high school and non-traditional students. He also led the team creating the Michelin Manufacturing Scholars program in collaboration with Michelin North America, which won the 2018 Innovation Program award from the Community Colleges of the Appalachia, the release said.

DeHay co-developed and implemented a business and industry relations model designed to improve the college’s ability to meet emerging workforce needs and he designed an integrated workforce solution structure that integrates non-credit and credit programming to meet workforce needs, according to the release.

“I also want to help business and industry to be successful and focus on economic mobility while creating stronger, more intentional partnerships with them,” he said in the release. “Specifically, I would like to see the college continue to expand its economic and workforce development mission as we continue to improve workforce opportunities for our communities.”

DeHay previously served as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. He also served as assistant vice president for instruction and institutional effectiveness, the release said.

A former biology faculty member and science department head at Tri-County Technical College, DeHay has more than 11 years of teaching experience in the college’s arts and sciences division.

He says a love for biology and teaching led him to Tri-County 20 years ago after he graduated from Clemson University. He taught biology for 11 years and served as department head for four years before accepting an administrative post as director of planning and institutional effectiveness in 2012.