Search Committee leads the process and engages the North Park community
By Owen R. Youngman
Chair, Presidential Search Committee
Member, Board of Trustees
The Presidential Search Committee, charged by the Board of Trustees to identify the best candidate to become North Park’s 10th president, has been meeting intensively throughout this past summer and fall. Our 15-person committee has been gathering data; listening to ideas from alumni, students, faculty, and staff; and praying together.
An important result has been a final position description that was released in October by the committee and our search partner, CarterBaldwin Executive Search. It has been shared with potential candidates and is available on our website at www.northpark.edu/presidentialsearch.
CarterBaldwin Executive Search, based in Atlanta, has been listed among the Top 40 search firms in the nation by Hunt Scanlon and in 2017 was named by Forbes as one of America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms. The firm has a particular expertise assisting Christian institutions like North Park, both inside and outside higher education. Over the past five years, the firm has completed more than 130 searches in its education and nonprofit practices, primarily for president and chief executive officer positions.
The committee’s work has also been informed by a comprehensive online survey of the North Park constituency conducted this past summer. We heard from 1,631 people, 65% of whom are alumni. We found that, by a meaningful margin, respondents said the three most important roles for the next president are to be:
- A visionary
- A strong advocate for North Park
- A strategic planner
When asked to choose the most important personal characteristics from a list of 10 possibilities, more than 70% said the next president must be:
- A deeply committed Christian
- A skilled communicator
- A collaborative team builder
The committee has found it very helpful to hear from many of you who have emailed us at PresidentialSearch@northpark.edu. You not only have suggested potential candidates, but also have shared your ideas about what would make North Park as strong and successful as possible in the years to come. This is a pivotal moment for the school, and your input has been very valuable in helping to shape our thinking.
Most important, the committee is greatly encouraged by the fact that hundreds of you said in your survey comments that you were praying—for us, for the process, and for North Park. With our prayerful attention to God’s direction, we look forward to updating you about the results of this important search.
Learn more at www.northpark.edu/presidentialsearch.
The Presidential Search Committee
Members from the Board of Trustees:
Kristine Strand, chair of the North Park Board of Trustees (serving ex officio)
Gary Walter, president of the Evangelical Covenant Church (serving ex officio)
Peggy Bley, certified public accountant, San Francisco
Rebekah Eklund, assistant professor of theology, Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore
D. Darrell Griffin, pastor, Oakdale Covenant Church, Chicago
David Helwig, president and West Region CEO (retired), WellPoint, Inc., Plymouth, Calif.
Karen Meyer, vice president, sales and partnerships, Welltok, Inc., Denver
David Otfinoski, president, Catamount Medical Information, LLC, Chester, Conn.
Owen R. Youngman, professor, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.
Members from the North Park campus community:
Alyssa Anderson, assistant professor, athletic training, and clinical coordinator
Roby Geevarghese, major gift officer, office of advancement
Mackenzie Mahon, president, Seminary Student Association
Angela Nevoso, president, Student Government Association
Jonathan Peterson, associate professor, politics and government, and chair, North Park Faculty Senate
Elizabeth Pierre, assistant professor, pastoral care and counseling, and counseling psychology, NPTS and School of Professional Studies