Western Piedmont Announces New President
Morganton, NC – The Western Piedmont Community College Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Dr. Michael S. Helmick, president of Rockingham Community College, has been selected to succeed Dr. Jim Burnett as the sixth president of Western Piedmont Community College.
This past November, Burnett announced his retirement effective July 31, 2014 after more than 40 years of service to the College. The Board of Trustees, led by Chairman Ron Martin, began the search for a new president in January which culminated this week with the State Board of Community College’s approval of Dr. Helmick’s appointment. Martin thanked the Presidential Search Committee and the Board of Trustees for their diligent work in reaching this decision.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to serve Western Piedmont Community College as the next president of the institution,” said Dr. Helmick. “I look forward to continuing the outstanding legacy of the current president, Dr. Jim Burnett, and I am pleased to be returning to WPCC to work with the exemplary faculty and staff who serve the needs of the students in the region.
Prior to Rockingham Community College, Dr. Helmick was the vice president of academic affairs at Western Piedmont. During this time, he supported establishment of the Burke County Manufacturers Association (now the Burke Manufacturers Executive Council), helped to increase student enrollment over 20 percent in curriculum areas, developed new programming and cooperative agreements with Burke County Schools, and worked on several college-wide initiatives including the long range plan, the facilities master plan, employee salary plan and as a team leader for the Richardson Complex Visioning Project.
“My wife, Melinda, and I look forward to renewing past relationships in Burke County and once again becoming active members of the community,” he said.
Dr. Helmick has been president of Rockingham Community College in Wentworth, N.C., since March of 2011. Among other accomplishments during his tenure there, Dr. Helmick raised private and public funds to develop a Simulated Hospital, a Center for Creative Woodworking, an advanced welding training facility and a state-of-the-art fabrication lab to train workers for the welding and metal fabrication industries. He also worked with a regional conservation foundation to develop new hiking trails on the college’s campus and established the first Brewing, Distillation and Fermentation community college program in the United States.
Before Western Piedmont Community College, Dr. Helmick served as a vice president of academic affairs at Technical College of the Lowcountry in Beaufort, S.C., dean of technical education at Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tenn., director of the Institute for Business and Industry Training and Tech Prep at Northeast State Technical Community College in Blountville, Tenn., and assistant principal in the Washington County Virginia Public School in Abingdon, Va. He also has experience as a small business owner and CAD drafter at Tennessee Eastman Company in Kingsport.
Dr. Helmick earned an Associate of Arts degree from the University of South Florida and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Arts Education from the University of West Florida. He received his Master of Science in Technology from East Tennessee State University and achieved the Doctorate in Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis also from East Tennessee State University.
“Dr. Helmick brings a diverse range of experiences and skills to Western Piedmont that we know will take Western Piedmont to the next level in providing higher education and workforce development opportunities to Burke County,” said Martin. “We had a very qualified pool of candidates to apply for the presidency of Western Piedmont, but Dr. Helmick’s existing knowledge of the community and college, innovative approach to programming and the shared potential he sees in the future of the College set him apart and in line to be our next leader. The Trustees of Western Piedmont look forward to the College’s future and his arrival.”
“The Governor and the legislature have made it very clear that NC Community Colleges will be the leaders in providing a postsecondary experience to help North Carolinians prepare to take their place in the reemerging economy,” said Dr. Helmick. “As the primary higher education provider for Burke County, I plan to help WPCC be an innovative and productive education leader for the region.”
Dr. Helmick’s first day as president of Western Piedmont will be Friday, Aug. 1, 2014.