OLDS — Ben Cecil is no longer president of the Olds College of Agriculture & Technology, a position he held for nearly two years.
He is being replaced on an interim basis by Debbie Thompson who has served lately as the college’s vice-president of academics.
The college announced the changeover Tuesday, Aug. 27 in a news release.
“In light of this transition, the board would also like to express its gratitude to Dr. Ben Cecil for his 20 months of dedicated service to Olds College and wish him all the best in his future endeavours,” the release says.
The release also says Thompson has been “an integral part of Olds College for over 10 years, bringing extensive experience in educational leadership and a deep commitment to student success and innovation.”
“Debbie Thompson has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a strong dedication to the mission of Olds College,” Al Kemmere, the college’s interim chair of the board of governors said in a prepared statement.
“We are confident in her ability to guide the college through this transition and continue to build on our strong foundation of excellence in agricultural education and technology.”
Thompson joined Olds College in 2014 as dean of animal sciences and horticulture.
Since then, she has served in several key leadership roles, including vice-president of student and support services and her current role as vice-president of academics.
Thompson holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Royal Roads University and a bachelor of education from the University of Calgary.
“I am honoured to step into the role of interim president and look forward to continuing to work with our exceptional faculty, staff and students,” Thompson said in a prepared statement. “Together, we will continue to advance the college’s mission and serve our community with the highest standards of academic excellence and innovation.”
