Bellevue College Chooses Presidential Search Firm

Bellevue College has selected the firm of Greenwood/Asher and Associates to assist in the search for the next Bellevue College President. Greenwood/Asher principals Betty Asher and Jan Greenwood have conducted searches for presidents, chancellors, vice presidents, chief diversity officers at two and four year institutions, system offices as well as in K-12.

The firm will search for a replacement for longtime Bellevue College president Jean Floten, who left at the end of last year to be the Chancellor of Western Governors University Washington, a new and online only competency-based university.

Recent Washington State searches that Greenwood/Asher has conducted included for the presidents of Washington State University and Western Washington University, along with successful searches in a number of community colleges across the country. Greenwood/Asher will assist the college throughout the search process, including recruiting qualified candidates, assisting with the initial screening process of applicants, checking references and working with the Search Advisory Committee and the trustees to review the list of finalists to be interviewed on campus. Jan Greenwood will be the principal consultant working with Bellevue.

Along with hiring a search firm, the trustees are selecting a Presidential Search Advisory Committee to work with Greenwood/Asher to help develop the profile of characteristics sought in the new president, review the applications, narrow the field to a group of recommended finalists and evaluate the final candidates. The Search Advisory Committee is made up of Bellevue trustees, faculty, staff, students, community and business leaders from within the college district.  The Bellevue College Board of Trustees will make the final selection of a new president to lead the college.

The college's interim president is Laura Saunders.

-- Information from and Bellevue Patch archives