LSSU hires Tony McLain as interim presidentPosted: June 16th, 2009CONTACTS: John Shibley, e-mail, 906-635-2314; Tom Pink, e-mail.
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Lake Superior State University's Board of Trustees appointed retired Sault Area Public Schools Superintendent Tony McLain Ph.D. as interim president during a special meeting today. His appointment takes effect immediately.
The board was unanimous in the appointment of McLain, who retired from the Sault Schools in 2003 after eight years of service.
Tony McLain Ph.D.
A print-resolution photo is here.
"We interviewed five different people for the job and there were some good candidates out there," said W.W. "Frenchie" LaJoie, board chair. "Dr. McLain has been active in public affairs, he knows Lansing and he is eager to take the job. We're announcing his appointment today so he can work with Scott (Amos) before he leaves."
Amos, who was LSSU provost until being appointed acting president after the resignation of Rodney Lowman in May, will work with McLain before he leaves for a position at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology later this month.
"I have been retired for five years and there are probably only two jobs in the world that would interest me right now," McLain said. "One is in Lansing and the other is this one because I am highly interested in Sault Ste. Marie, this community, this university and everything about it."
McLain's career in education has seen him in a variety of positions, from working as an English teacher to two superintendent positions. Prior to working in the top spot at the Sault Schools he was superintendent of the Superior Central Schools in Eben Junction, Mich. He led successful community bond elections in both districts as well as in the Thornapple Kellogg Schools, where he was a principal, curriculum director and guidance director for 16 years. No stranger to the university environment, he taught classes while a graduate student working on his doctoral degree at Michigan State University.
Since retiring from the Sault Schools, McLain has been working as a part-time financial consultant with Stauder Barch and Associates of Ann Arbor, and has been active in the NorthStar chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
McLain's background includes 30 years of experience in contract negotiations, as well as membership and leadership positions on a variety of community and state school professional associations, including past president of the Michigan Association of School Administrators Region 1, campaign chair for the Eastern Upper Peninsula United Way in 2000-2001, and many more. He was honored with the Sault Schools' "What Parents Want Award" for six consecutive years, 1997-2002.
"We have a lot of work to do," McLain said about his new position. "The best advice I ever received was from a junior high principal I used to work for. He said, 'I have all the authority that my staff gives me.' I believe in that. The work of a university is not done in the administration building; it's done by the rest of the staff. It's our job to make sure you have the tools to do the work and then get out of the way…The university is too big of an organization and there are too many decisions to make to have them all made at the top level."
McLain's MSU doctorate is in K-12 education administration, and he also holds a master's degree in counseling and personnel administration and a bachelor's degree in English, both from Western Michigan University.
McLain's appointment is open-ended while the University searches for a successor. Trustee Patrick K. Egan of Bay Mills is chairing a search committee that is still being formed. Trustees LaJoie and Gary Toffolo, both of Sault Ste. Marie, are on the committee also.
"We expect to have the committee announced by the end of this week or the beginning of next week," Egan said. "There has been a lot of interest and a lot of very good people are coming forward to volunteer. It will be difficult to pare the list down, but I'm encouraged by that."
Egan and several other board members had praise for Amos as he prepares to leave LSSU.
"I ask the board to commend Dr. Amos for sticking around and helping us through this and doing very well with assuring continuity and security," Egan said. "He has had his own life in flux by sticking around and asking his new bosses to be patient, and that took a lot. The Board really appreciates that."
Jeff Harris, president of the Steelworkers union which represents clerical, maintenance, food service and public safety employees on campus, agreed.
"Many Steelworkers learned to appreciate the leadership qualities of Dr. Amos while he was here," he said. "We wish you the best of luck and appreciate you being here."
Amos thanked the board and university employees for their support and said he was encouraged to see everyone working together in support of the university.
As the LSSU presidential search continues, updates will be posted on the university's website, lssu.edu. The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is on July 10. -LSSU-
 Digg -
 Reddit -
 del.icio.us -
 Google -
 Facebook -
-  StumbleUpon
|
