Three finalists chosen for NMTC president

PRESQUE ISLE – The names of the finalists for the president’s post at Northern Maine Technical College have been announced.

Named as finalists are: Jeffrey Cantor, dean of extended studies and work force education since 1988 at Norwalk Community College in Norwalk, Conn.; Timothy Crowley, interim president at NMTC since January and vice president and academic dean since 1991; and Joseph Olson, vice president for student and administrative services at Adirondack Community College in Queensbury, N.Y., since 1997.

Maine Technical College System President Dr. John Fitzsimmons will conduct personal interviews with the three. A final recommendation from Fitzsimmons is expected when the MTCS board of directors meets April 24 in Augusta.

The successful candidate will replace Durward Huffman, who served as president of NMTC from September 1987 to June 2001. He became the chief academic officer for the Maine Technical College System in July 2001.

Cantor, as part of his duties at Norwalk Community College, provides leadership for credit and noncredit education, and work force development programs of study for 3,000 credit and 10,000 noncredit students. Among other responsibilities, he administers the college’s customized business and industry training programs.

He previously was the director of technical education at Virginia Community College System in Richmond, Va., where he provided statewide leadership for work force education and training programs across the 23 colleges of the VCCS. Before that, he was director of technical education for Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Fla. He also was a faculty member at both Montgomery College in Maryland and Lehman College in New York City.

Crowley has been at NMTC since 1985. Before becoming the vice president and academic dean, he was the dean of students at the college. He also served as director of counseling and placement at the University of Maine at Presque Isle and has served as a guidance counselor at Windham Junior High School and Caribou Middle School.

He serves on a number of local boards, including Cary Medical Center in Caribou, the Aroostook County Action Program and Leaders Encouraging Aroostook Development.

Olson is in charge of both the student affairs and business office at Adirondack Community College. He also serves as the college liaison to county legislators for budget development and other areas of interest to county sponsors.

He has been dean of student services at Adirondack. Before that, he first was the dean of student services and later the assistant to the president at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, N.C. He also served as the interim vice president for academic affairs and the dean of continuing education at Lamar University in Orange, Texas.