Bill Best takes over as Cambrian College president Aug. 5

Cambrian College has announced its new president. As of Aug. 5, Bill Best will take over at the Sudbury college.

Best has worked in higher education for more than 20 years and has had a number of roles at the New Brunswick Community College, including CEO, interim president, vice president finance, and vice president academic.

This is Cambrian's third president in less than a year.

Sylvia Barnard retired last June and Peter Lawlor took her place. Lawlor stepped down a few months later, citing personal reasons. Sonia Del Missier has been interim president since then.

The Board is pleased to welcome Bill Best to Cambrian College and to the Sudbury community, said Eric Kohtakangas, chair of the Colleges Board of Governors. Bill brings a wealth of public and private sector experience to the role. He has a strong academic background, is a seasoned senior administrator, and has sound business acumen. Under his guidance, we are confident that Cambrian will be well-positioned for future growth as we approach our fiftieth year in the Ontario college system.

In accepting his new leadership role at northern Ontarios largest community college, Best said he was pleased to be joining the team at Cambrian and to be bringing his family to a community that offers a wealth of lifestyle opportunities.

Cambrians focus on its students, its strong faculty core and emphasis on innovation is very appealing to me, especially at a time when the College is approaching an important milestone in its history, he said. I am looking forward to engaging the College in a strategic planning process that will lead to evolutionary growth for the organization and the communities that it supports.

Best added his key priorities will be to foster a dynamic learning environment, to strengthen our strategic partnerships, and to work with our community partners to contribute to the socio-economic growth of northern Ontario.

Best holds a Master of Education and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Acadia University, as well as a Bachelor of Education from the University of Western Ontario.