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FSCC trustees announce choice for new president
After nearly four months of searching, the Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees has found the college's next president.
During a special meeting Tuesday morning at FSCC, trustees announced that Garden City resident Clayton Tatro has been hired to serve as the college's new chief administrator. Tatro will replace current president Jim Miesner, who last fall, announced his intention to retire in July. Tatro will begin his new full-time duties in June, an FSCC statement said.
Tatro, 34, a native of Glasco, was not present at the Tuesday meeting, but commented on his new position in a statement obtained at the meeting from Jill Warford, who is the acting public relations director at FSCC.
"I am excited for the opportunity to lead Fort Scott Community College into the future," Tatro said. "My family and I look forward to making Fort Scott and Southeast Kansas our home, hopefully for many years to come. FSCC has a rich history and a strong tradition of serving the community and the region. Working together, we can facilitate the college's mission and continually enhance the college's programs and services."
Trustees voted unanimously on Tuesday to appoint Tatro as Miesner's successor, after meeting behind closed doors since November, interviewing potential candidates and discussing the qualifications of those candidates in hopes of filling the position by March. A few weeks ago, trustees narrowed the list of candidates down to five names.
On Tuesday, Miesner congratulated trustees and other FSCC staff for their timely and efficient work in finding his replacement.
"Thank you for all the work you've done these last few weeks," he said. "Every candidate commented on how great you were to work with," Miesner told trustees.
Board chairman Eric Ammons also thanked trustees and other FSCC support staff.
"What a wonderful board we have," Ammons said. "After this, it became very evident."
In the FSCC statement, Ammons said it was a combination of Tatro's leadership and experience that prompted trustees to bring the young administrator on board at FSCC.
"Dr. Clayton Tatro has distinguished himself as a devoted and enthusiastic leader with a balance of community college classroom and administrative experience," Ammons said. "He is well-respected at both the community college level and the state of Kansas, where he serves on a number of educational committees. The Board of Trustees is excited about the direction of FSCC and its future and is working to ensure a smooth transition."
Before accepting his new position, Tatro had served as Dean of Learning Services and chief academic officer at Garden City Community College since 2001, and has also handled and supervised other education programs there. He served as dean of instruction at GCCC from 1998 to 2001. He has also spearheaded several other educational programs at GCCC, is a successful grant writer, and succeeded in bringing additional revenue into the college, the FSCC statement said.
He is also a member of numerous clubs and organizations in his current hometown of Garden City. Tatro and his wife, Melissa, are the parents of two sons, Garrett and Ethan.