"President"

The Illinois Central College (ICC) Board of Trustees invites confidential nominations and applications for the position of President. The Board seeks an accomplished, collaborative, engaging, transparent, visionary leader with a proven record of fostering student success, driving strategic initiatives, and advancing institutional innovation.

ICC is a public community college that provides a dynamic learning environment, fostering excellence, opportunity, and innovation to meet the educational needs of its diverse students and community.

ICC is centrally located in the vibrant and diverse Peoria region, offering a blend of urban amenities and rural charm. With campuses conveniently located in East Peoria and Peoria, both cities provide scenic riverfront areas and numerous family-friendly activities, along with access to cultural and entertainment offerings, making the area an attractive location for learning and community engagement. Major metropolitan areas such as Chicago and St. Louis are within easy driving distance, making day trips and weekend getaways convenient.

ICC offers more than 150 program pathways featuring stackable certificates and associate degrees designed to prepare students for transfer and/or the workforce. As of Fall 2025, ICC offers 56 programs of study leading to an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree; 2 programs leading to an Associate in Fine Arts degree; an Associate in General Studies and an Associate in Engineering Science; 39 programs of study leading to an Associate Degree in Applied Science; and 62 programs leading to occupational certificates. Annually, ICC serves more than 10,500 credit students and 5,026 professional credit learners pursuing certificates, certifications, or digital badges. As an open-access college, ICC welcomes all who are ready to learn and is dedicated to empowering our community by providing accessible, relevant, and transformative educational opportunities.

ICC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and received a 10-year accreditation with no follow-up reports required. Its next review is scheduled for 2030. A complete listing of ICC programs that have sought and received specialized (program) accreditation can be viewed here.

ICC is governed by a seven-member, locally elected Board of Trustees, and one Student Trustee, in accordance with the Illinois Public Community College Act.

The President of ICC serves as the Chief Executive Officer, providing vision, leadership, and strategic direction across all areas of the institution. Positions reporting directly to the President include the Chief of Staff, Executive Vice President of Administration and Finance, Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, Vice President of Student Success, Vice President of Workforce and Diversity, Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Recruitment, and the Vice President of Institutional Advancement. The President is responsible for advancing student success, fostering strong relationships with the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and students, and building partnerships with business, industry, government, and community stakeholders.

The Executive Vice President of Administration and Finance will lead the College as Interim President from January 1, 2026, until July 1, 2026, when the new President takes office. This will be his second term as Interim President. He has postponed his planned retirement until July 2027, in order to provide stability during the leadership transition, and allow ample time to select the next permanent President.

Ideal candidates will have a proven record of transformational leadership; a strong commitment to student-centered outcomes; expertise in workforce development, regional economic partnerships, and credentialing; skill in building collaborative relationships with employers, community organizations, and educational partners; a forward-thinking orientation toward technology integration, such as AI or ERP systems, alongside the capacity to enhance operational effectiveness; exceptional communication and team-building abilities, to unite stakeholders, break down silos, and sustain engagement across the college; and experience in managing transformational change.

To ensure full consideration, application materials must be submitted online and should be received no later than November 15, 2025. The search page, which includes the Executive Search Profile and application and nomination links, can be found at: https://rhperry.com/iccpres.

RH Perry & Associates, a national executive search firm, is assisting Illinois Central College with this search. Interested parties can contact Jesse Thompson, Senior Consultant and Director of Community College Searches, 617-901-4880, or Paul Doeg, President and Chief Operating Officer, 828-785-1394, or via email at ICCPRES@rhperry.com. All inquiries will remain confidential.

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