Home Local News ‘I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR JOURNEY’: Barbee announced as new president of...

‘I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR JOURNEY’: Barbee announced as new president of Richmond Community College

Brent Barbee offers thanks to those who chose him to be the next president of Richmond Community College during a special announcement Oct. 21 at Cole Auditorium. He starts his new role Nov. 1. Photos by William R. Toler - Richmond Observer

HAMLET — Richmond Community College has selected one of its own to take the helm.

Brent Barbee, currently the executive vice president and chief financial officer, was announced Monday morning as the soon-to-be eighth president since the college’s inception, succeeding Dr. Dale McInnis.

“That answers the question everybody’s been asking me for the last two months … well now you know,” said McInnis. “I’m confident this college will be on the right track for a long, long time to come.”

McInnis, who has served as president for 15 years, will retire Oct. 31 and head to Moore County as head of the O’Neal School.

Barbee, a graduate of Richmond Senior High School, has been with the college for two decades, working his way up to his current position.

“Our board was committed to a thorough search to find the best possible person for the important job of being the president of Richmond Community College,” said Claudia Robinette, chair of the Board of Trustees, describing the process.

The search committee conducted a survey of college employees and other stakeholders to find out what experience and approach they wanted to see in the next leader, according to Robinette.

Those qualifications were then included in a national ad for the position, with 52 hopefuls applying from across the country, Robinette said. The applicants were then narrowed down to 12 qualified candidates and five were selected to be interviewed on campus.

Following the interviews, three finalists were selected for state board approval. Barbee was elected Oct. 1 by the Trustees and approved by the state board Oct. 18.

“Our next president uniquely matches the feedback we heard through our survey,” Robinette said, adding that it was hoped the college would continue on its current course of growth and innovation by someone who understood Richmond and Scotland counties.

“We all agreed we needed someone with executive experience in our state’s community colleges, who had a proven history as an established and effective leader,” Robinette said, adding that Barbee was the only candidate “who checked all the boxes.”

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Robinette said he was unanimously selected due to his commitment to the college and the community, his expertise in administration, statewide reputation, and his “ability to get the right things done the right way.”

“His performance and integrity over the years has earned the trust and respect of the employees and the board,” Robinette concluded, “and we’re all confident he will do a wonderful job for many years to come.”

Barbee thanked the Trustees for having the faith in him to lead the college into its future.

He also recognized the leadership and mentorship of McInnis.

“I can still vividly remember sitting in his office over 20 years ago, when I started here at Richmond Community College,” Barbee recalled. “He told me that day that if I worked hard, paid attention to what was going on around me and not only master my job duties but truly learn about how the college operated, that I had the potential to succeed here.

“There have been many, many words of wisdom he has provided me over the years, but I never forgot that first meeting,” Barbee added, turning to McInnis. “You were right, Dale.”

Barbee also thanked his co-workers and family for their support.

“I look forward to leading Richmond Community College into its future,” Barbee concluded. “Our future is bright — I’m very excited about that and the potential we have …I’m excited about our opportunities. I know we will encounter challenges and obstacles, but I know with our team and our students, we will be successful.

“I look forward to our journey.”