Dr. Lane Glenn will be the new president of Northern Essex Community College.

At its February 1 meeting, the Massachusetts’ Board of Higher Education voted unanimously to approve Dr. Lane Glenn as the new president of Northern Essex Community College, replacing Dr. David Hartleb, who will retire this coming June.

A resident of Amesbury, Glenn currently serves as vice president of academic affairs at Northern Essex Community College, a position which he has held since 2006. Prior to that, he was dean of academic and student services at Oakland Community College in Michigan. He has also served as director of learning services at Lansing Community College, also in Michigan. Glenn holds a Ph.D. in theater from Michigan State University.

Glenn was selected by the college’s board of trustees which voted unanimously to recommend him to the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education at a December 22 meeting. His selection followed a national search which began last summer, shortly after President Hartleb announced his retirement.

In his four years at the college, Glenn has focused on student success, including increasing support for underprepared students. He has also expanded the college’s relationships with local high schools and partnered with local employers, such as Raytheon, to develop programs that deliver the skills most needed in the job market.

Some examples of successes under his leadership include the college’s new associate of science degree in lab science which was developed in partnership with ten local employers and an innovative Early College Program at Amesbury High School which has been called a statewide model. He also spearheaded the college’s newest facility, NECC Riverwalk, which opened in the fall, bringing together credit programs, adult literacy programs, and noncredit personal enrichment and career programs in one location for the first time.

After the BHE vote, Glenn called Northern Essex “a fantastic place.” “We have tremendously talented faculty and staff, hard-working and dedicated students, and wonderful support from the communities we serve. We have accomplished some important student success and workforce development goals recently, and have some very exciting opportunities ahead of us.”

Massachusetts Commissioner of Higher Education Richard Freeland said “I am looking forward to working with Lane Glenn in the years to come, and deeply appreciate his active involvement in the work to develop the Vision Project, our state’s new public agenda for higher education. Lane has played a pivotal role in our statewide work on learning outcomes assessment, a topic of critical importance these days as we explore the effectiveness of our education programs. He will be a tremendous asset to Northern Essex Community College and also to the larger cause of public higher education in the Commonwealth.”

“I’m thrilled with the choice,” said Joseph Edwards, chairperson of the college’s board of trustees. “Dr. Glenn has the ability and the enthusiasm to make an excellent president and he has insight into what’s happening at the college.”

When he takes office in July, Glenn will be the fourth president of the college, which opened its doors in 1961. Harold Bentley served from 1960 to 1975, John Dimitry from 1975 to 1996, and David Hartleb will have served from 1996 to 2011.