Foundation seeking new CEO

The CGSC Foundation is seeking a new chief executive officer and has begun a nationwide search for the next leader to succeed the current President/CEO Doug Tystad, who is retiring later this year.

The Foundation has established a CEO Search Committee headed up by Foundation Chair Mike Hockley, which also includes Foundation trustees Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Stan Cherrie and Mary O’Connor. The committee also has representation from the Combined Arms Center with Mr. Kirby Brown, deputy to the commanding general, and from the CGSC faculty, Bud Meador, who is the College’s liaison to the CGSC Foundation. Also assisting the committee is the Foundation’s accountant Carolyn Klemp.

Tystad has been the Foundation’s executive leader since 2013. He announced his retirement in April in his CEO Update on the Foundation website.

“Our Foundation has been lucky to have had two outstanding leaders as CEO since it was stood up in 2006,” said Hockley. “Col. (Ret.) Bob Ulin took the organization from a start-up in 2006 to a going concern when he retired in early 2013. After an exhaustive search, we hired Col. (Ret.) Doug Tystad as CEO. Doug was familiar with the College having served as its Dean of Academics, and he has brought business acumen and systems to the Foundation during his tenure. He hit the ground running and worked hard to develop close relationships with the College and faculty. The Foundation is now a mature organization as a result of his leadership and is ready to move up to the next level under the leadership of the next CEO.”

The CEO Search Committee has developed a detailed job description highlighting the characteristics it is seeking in the next CEO. Hockley said of all those details, a few deserve highlighting:

For the Foundation to continue to mature and improve, its next CEO must work well with the College, the faculty, and the College’s leadership while at the same time maintaining good relationships with the board, the business community, and donors.
To achieve those goals, the new CEO should have strong organizational and relationship-building skills so he or she can build on the foundation that Doug and Bob have laid.
The next CEO must also understand the functions of the College and how the Foundation can augment the College’s resources to better achieve its mission.

“If you know someone who understands the College and has these qualities, please encourage that individual to apply for the position,” Hockley added.

For more information and how to apply for the position, download the CEO Position Description and Application. The deadline for applications is June 15, 2018.