Des Moines Area Community College’s Board of Directors has announced the beginning of the search for the fifth president in the institution’s history. The Board invites community stakeholders to participate in a series of in-person and online forums on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 6 and 7.

With the input gathered from these forums, as well as an online survey that closes on May 27, DMACC will build a presidential search profile that outlines the characteristics the institution seeks in its new president. Community members are welcome to attend any DMACC presidential search forum at a time or location most convenient for them.

TUESDAY, MAY 6

Time   Location   Address   Building/Room
             
7:30 - 8:30 a.m.    Newton Campus   600 N. 2nd Ave. West   Room 118
             
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.    Urban Campus*   1100 7th Street, Des Moines   Building 1, Rooms 141 & 142
             
4:30 - 5:30 p.m.   Ankeny Campus   2006 S. Ankeny Blvd.   Building 5, Rooms 1240 A, B, I, & J

 

*including West and Southridge locations

 

 

WEDNESDAY, MAY 7

Time   Location   Address   Building/Room
             
7:30 - 8:30 a.m.    Boone Campus

 

1125 Hancock Drive, Boone

   Room 200
     

 

 

    
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.    Carroll Campus   906 N. Grant Road, Carroll   Room 180
             
3 - 4 p.m.    Virtual via Microsoft Teams   Link to join at president.dmacc.edu    

 

“We are excited to get the search process underway,” said Kevin Halterman, vice chair of the DMACC Board of Directors, who is chairing the presidential search committee. “We look forward to engaging with the campus community and our many community partners and stakeholders.”

The Board of Directors has engaged Dr. Larry Ebbers, University Professor Emeritus at Iowa State University, as its search consultant. Ebbers has deep expertise in community college leadership and has led numerous successful presidential searches.

DMACC is also launching a dedicated website for the presidential search at president.dmacc.edu. The site includes full information about the search, including the online forum and survey.

Applications for the presidency will open in mid-July and close in early September. At that time, a screening committee of community college leadership in Iowa will narrow the field to a group of 10 or fewer candidates for online interviews. Members of the screening committee include:

  • Steve Schulz, President Emeritus of NIACC and former Provost at DMACC
  • Kristie Fisher, President of Kirkwood Community College
  • Liang Chee Wee, Interim Chancellor of Eastern Iowa Community Colleges and President Emeritus of Northeast Iowa Community College

A search committee, chaired by Halterman, will be assembled in September to conduct the online interviews. The committee will recommend three to five finalists to be invited for on-campus interviews in late October.

DMACC’s next president will assume the role on January 1, 2026, succeeding Rob Denson, who announced his retirement in January after 22 years of leadership.