RALEIGH – A search committee has been formed to identify candidates for the top job at the state’s coastal university.
University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans and University of North Carolina at Wilmington Board of Trustees chair Gidget Kidd made the announcement in a joint statement last week.
“UNC Wilmington’s all-around excellence will attract a strong pool of potential chancellors,” Hans said in the statement. “This search committee is passionate about public higher education, and I am grateful to each member for their time in serving the campus and its community.”
“I deeply appreciate the committee members’ commitment to this important effort,” said Kidd, who will also chair the committee. “We know that the UNCW community cares deeply about our university and its future leadership. We are invested in collaborating with the UNC System during this process, and we look forward to engaging with students, alumni, faculty, staff and other Seahawks to hear their insights and understand their perspectives.”
The search committee has tentatively scheduled its first meeting Nov. 1, 2021
Once the committee makes recommendations to the trustees, the board will vote on three candidates President Hans.
Hans will then nominate a candidate to the UNC Board of Governors, which will elect the new chancellor sometime next year.
The next leader will succeed Chancellor Jose Sartarelli, who announced he will retire June 30, 2022 after seven years leading the university.
The UNCW Chancellor Search Committee:
Gidget Kidd ’91, educational and community leader from Asheboro, chair of the Board of Trustees and the search committee
Stephania Bloodworth ’00, health care foundation business operations manager from Wilmington
Dennis Burgard, ’88, former trustee and real estate leader from Jacksonville
Adam Clark, Staff Senate chair and IT Support Analyst
Natalie English, president and CEO, Wilmington Chamber of Commerce
Robert “Robby” Fensom, Student Government Association president and a senior from Fayetteville
Carlton Fisher ’83, trustee board secretary and real estate leader from Wilmington
Holly G. Grange, trustee and community and government leader from Wilmington
Nathan Grove, Faculty Senate president, chemistry and biochemistry professor, College of Arts and Sciences
Morgan Jackson ’96, a business leader from Carthage
Henry L. “Hal” Kitchin, attorney from Wilmington and former trustee and board chair
Henry E. “Hank” Miller III ’85, trustee board vice chair and real estate leader from Wrightsville Beach
Justine Reel, associate dean for research and innovation, College of Health and Human Services
Yousry Sayed, trustee and business leader from Wilmington
Peter Schuhmann, economics professor, Cameron School of Business
Maurice Smith ’79, former trustee and credit union president from Cary
Robert Smith, professor of instructional technology, foundations, and secondary education, Watson College of Education
Jimmy T. Tate, ’99, ’01 MA ‘19 MA, trustee and educational leader , southeastern North Carolina
