McKendree University graduate returns to campus as president
McKendree University’s new president will be a familiar face on the Lebanon campus.
Daniel C. Dobbins, who graduated from McKendree in 1981 and has since served on the board of trustees for 32 years, will begin his tenure on Jan. 1, the university announced Monday.
Dobbins, who is president of Fiber Bond Corp. of Michigan City, Indiana, will take over for James M. Dennis, who announced earlier this year that he would retire as president of McKendree after 26 years of service.
“I am deeply committed to the mission of this great University and it has been a privilege for me to work on behalf of its students and all of the members of the McKendree community as a volunteer,” Dobbins said in a news release. “As I begin this new chapter in my relationship with the university, I am deeply humbled and excited by the opportunity to continue that service as president and I am grateful for the strong and enduring leadership of Jim Dennis, who has left a lasting legacy on which we will have the opportunity to build.”
The board of trustees voted Nov. 2 to hire Dobbins, who lives in O’Fallon with his wife Michaelene, who also graduated from McKendree in 1981.
Dobbins will be the 33rd president of the college, which traces its roots to 1828.
Dobbins has been president of Fiber Bond since 2008. The company is known for manufacturing air filtration systems for commercial use by major corporations and hospitals nationwide, according to the release.
Daniel Lett, chairman of the McKendree University board of trustees, praised Dobbins’ qualifications for the job.
“Dan Dobbins’ business acumen, together with his long volunteer service and knowledge of the university make him an ideal candidate to lead McKendree at this time,” Lett said in a statement. “We were fortunate that early in our process we found an outstanding person with unparalleled passion for the university in our midst.”
This story was originally published November 11, 2019 at 2:56 PM.
