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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (March 18, 2011) –The Board of Trustees of Milligan College, a nationally recognized Christian liberal arts college in Tennessee, has appointed Dr. Bill Greer as the 15th president in the college’s 145-year history.
Greer, who currently serves as the college’s vice president for institutional advancement and is a 1985 graduate of the college, was selected from a national field of candidates following a five-month search. He will assume leadership of Milligan College on July 15, 2011, following the retirement of Donald R. Jeanes.
Greer brings to the presidency an extensive and distinguished professional background. His career represents more than 25 years’ experience as an academic and business leader, fundraiser, community volunteer, and church elder.
“Dr. Greer exhibits a strong understanding of Milligan’s heritage, the current opportunities and challenges facing the college, and a clear vision for Milligan’s future,” said David Hamilton, chair of the Milligan board and vice president of Elkins Construction in Jacksonville, Fla. “The Board is unanimous that he is the right choice for Milligan’s next president.”
Demonstrated Leadership Experience
Greer provides an extensive academic and professional background which will offer Milligan a unique perspective to advance the college in the future.
At Milligan, he is the J. Henry Kegley Professor of Economics and Business and served 12 years as a member of the college’s faculty, chairing the business area for several years and serving on numerous committees. Greer also led the college’s efforts to develop and establish a Master of Business Administration, a program built on the philosophy of ethical decision making from a Christian perspective.
As vice president for institutional advancement, Greer has successfully achieved Milligan’s annual fundraising goals and led the college in the $25 million “Forward Ever: The Campaign for Milligan College,” which has greatly increased constituency engagement.
“Over the span of his more than two-decade career, Dr. Greer has developed a leadership style marked by strategic thinking, collaborative leadership, and accountability,” said Hamilton. “In his roles as vice president for institutional advancement and professor at Milligan, he has worked as a tireless consensus builder, earning the respect of his colleagues and peers.”
Greer holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and an MBA from East Tennessee State University. He is a published author and continues to lecture on macroeconomic theory and the history of economic thought. He is also a member of the Messiah College (Pa.) International Business Institute faculty.
Prior to joining the Milligan faculty in 1994, Greer held accounting positions with Pet Dairy and Morrill Motors and was vice president of marketing at Silver Creek Technologies.
Greer has a lifelong commitment to the Restoration Movement and has served as an elder at Grandview Christian Church since 1998. He has presented workshops at the North American Christian Convention and represented Milligan at the National Missionary Convention and other church-related events.
Greer has served on numerous corporate and community boards, including Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Johnson City, Washington County United Way Allocations Committee, Johnson City National Little League, QUEST Foundation of Washington County, and Johnson City Federal Credit Union. He serves as a member of the compliance and audit committee of Mountain States Health Alliance and the board of visitors for the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy at East Tennessee State University. He is a member of the board of directors of Blue Ridge Medical Management. Greer is also a member of the Johnson City Rotary Club.
A native of Mountain City, Tenn., Greer and his wife, Edwina, who graduated from Milligan in 1984, currently live in Johnson City, Tenn. They have two sons who are both students at Milligan.
Building on a Foundation
“I accept this role with tremendous excitement and a healthy measure of humility,” said Greer. “I seek to be a president who will lead boldly, casting a vision that preserves the essential core values and heritage that make Milligan College so unique while, at the same time, ensuring that Milligan continues to grow, fulfilling its noble mission.”
Greer will succeed current Milligan President Donald R. Jeanes, who began his 14-year presidency in 1997.
“We will continue building on the foundation laid by President Jeanes, protecting and increasing Milligan’s mission and academic reputation, strengthening our relationship with the community and with our churches, continuing to grow and improve the campus, enhancing and adding academic programs, improving our athletics program, enriching our students, and serving our alumni,” said Greer before an 11 a.m. gathering of the board and campus community.
Jeanes said he is most pleased that Dr. Greer was the board’s selection.
“I can’t think of anyone who is better suited to be Milligan’s next leader,” said Jeanes. “Bill has shown himself to be a man of faith, integrity, and proven professional leadership who cares deeply for this institution. As an alumnus, a professor, and an administrator, he has demonstrated his passion for Milligan College’s mission time and time again. I commend the board for their choice; they looked at many candidates and selected the one who best fulfills the criteria they had established. I am most pleased that Dr. Greer will lead Milligan College.”
About the Selection Process
An 11-person Presidential Search Committee was formed in October 2010 to launch a comprehensive national search under the leadership of Milligan alumnus and Board of Trustees Chair David Hamilton (’86). The committee included representation from Milligan trustees, advisors, faculty, students, staff, and alumni. The committee received over a dozen applications and worked to identify the candidate who best met the leadership criteria and qualifications established by the Board of Trustees.
About Milligan College
Milligan College is a Christian liberal arts college in Northeast Tennessee that is consistently named one of the best regional colleges and Best Buys in the South byU.S. News & World Report. Milligan also was named one of the Top 100 baccalaureate colleges in the nation by Washington Monthly. The college offers undergraduate and graduate programs to over 1,100 students.
MILLIGAN COLLEGE is a Christian liberal arts college in Northeast Tennessee whose vision is to change lives and shape culture through a commitment to servant leadership. The college offers more than 25 academic programs and three master’s degrees. To learn more about Milligan College, visit www.milligan.edu or call 800-447-5922.###