President Hamann named Outstanding Community College Administrator | Linn-Benton Community College

President Hamann named Outstanding Community College Administrator

greg-hamannLinn-Benton Community College President Dr. Greg Hamann was named as the Howard Cherry Outstanding Community College Administrator by the Oregon Community Colleges Association.

Hamann, who has been president of LBCC since 2010, was nominated for his dedication to serving community colleges for more than 20 years, and his commitment to student success - including his leadership in Guided Pathways at LBCC - which provides significant support to help students identify the most efficient and effective path through college to completion of their degree or certificate.

“Greg is a passionate advocate for Linn-Benton Community College,” said Cam Preus, OCCA executive director. “He brings the same ardent support for all community college students to the legislature and other statewide policy makers.”

Hamann’s leadership in supporting student success was nationally recognized when LBCC was among just 30 community colleges nationwide to be selected to participate in the American Association of Community Colleges’ Pathways Initiative, a collaboration by national leaders and organizations in higher education to improve student completion rates.  

greg-hamann-award
Greg Hamann received the Howard Cherry Outstanding Administrator of the Year award at the OCCA conference Nov. 8.
 
 

“I am honored and humbled to be named Administrator of the Year,” said Hamann. “The award was unexpected and deeply meaningful to me, as there is no greater recognition than to receive acknowledgement from your peers who have contributed so much to the future of education in our state. I am continually learning from these incredible leaders who tirelessly dedicate their professional lives to the cause of our community colleges and the students they serve.”

Hamann successfully led LBCC in the passage of a bond measure in 2014 which, among other things, increased capacity for health care and career technical education programs. In addition, he played a key role in the creation of Pipeline to Jobs, a unique partnership between area businesses, county and city leaders, school districts and the college to help create new jobs and provide workforce training.

Jim Merryman, president of OFD Foods and chair of the LBCC Board of Education, said that Hamann’s nomination is a reflection of the work he has done, and continues to do, to move community colleges strategically into the future.

“We are so proud of the work Greg has done to change student outcomes at LBCC,” said Merryman. “It’s difficult to move an organization - to change culture, to improve diversity, to bring cultural richness to the students and community - all while making the changes to the college structure that are necessary to meet the needs of the community. Greg is a leader who is working to make all this happen, and he is truly an Outstanding Community College Administrator.”

Linda Modrell, LBCC Board of Education member, said of Hamann: “Greg is an outstanding leader who is creative and innovative in seeking solutions, whether it’s helping students who may need extra help in achieving their goals at LBCC, or working with the 16 other community colleges in Oregon on legislative and funding issues.”

A Legacy of Service
Hamann serves on a number of local, state and national boards and committees. At the community level, he is on the board of the Corvallis Boys and Girls Club and the Albany Chamber of Commerce. Hamann received the first-ever “Chair’s Award” from the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments in 2017, which recognizes outstanding service to the Linn, Benton and Lincoln county regions.

At the state level, Hamann serves as a governor-appointed member of Oregon’s Quality Education Commission and on the Governor’s Reentry Council. He has also contributed on numerous task forces working to increase education’s effectiveness in improving the quality of life for all Oregonians.

At the National level, Hamann served as director and executive committee chair for Finance and Audit for the American Association of Community Colleges Board of Directors, is a member of the Oversight Board for the Voluntary Framework for Accountability, is a member of the President’s Advisory Council to the Association of Community College Trustees, and a member of the Steering Committee for the 21st Century Initiative Implementation Team. He served as chair for the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3), and is immediate past-chair of the AACC President’s Academy Executive Committee.

A Vision for the Future
Going forward, Hamann will focus on continuing his advocacy for community colleges in Oregon and across the nation, especially in the areas of equity and inclusion and in ensuring that community colleges continue to lead the way.

HOC-ground-breaking
President Hamann helps break ground for the college's new Healthcare Occupations Center in Lebanon, which was completed in 2017.

“A comprehensive community college education is about more than just making a living,” said Hamann. “It’s about the quality and character of life itself. As a comprehensive community college, equity is an outcome. It’s not a value, a strategy, a program or an initiative. It means that the same achievements of education, career and life are equally attainable by all people, regardless of race, religion, culture, gender, or economics.”

Prior to LBCC, Hamann served as president at Clatsop Community College for seven years and, prior to that, as chief finance and operations officer at Northwest College in Wyoming. Hamann also taught middle school, and served 16 years in a variety of student services and administrative roles at two private four-year institutions; Whitworth University and Bethel University.

Hamann has also served as an adjunct instructor in the Doctoral Education Program at Oregon State University. He has a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Gonzaga University, a master’s in Counseling Psychology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a bachelor’s degree in both Psychology and Social Studies Education from the University of Minnesota.

The Howard Cherry Awards are named for the late Dr. Howard Cherry, a lifelong advocate for education and community involvement. The awards are granted in three categories: Outstanding Community College Administrator, Outstanding Community College Board Member, and Outstanding Community College Advocate. The awards are given to those who, by their contributions to the community college cause in Oregon, have brought statewide recognition to community colleges.

###

About LBCC: More than 18,000 students rely on Linn-Benton Community College each year for higher education including career technical education, transfer degree programs, professional development, corporate training, small business development, community education classes and more. Serving the mid-Willamette Valley with six locations including its main campus in Albany, LBCC partners with multiple business and industries to enrich the community and support economic growth. LBCC students choose from more than 80 programs and go on to be tomorrow’s innovators, leaders, skilled workers and community builders.


©