Lanier Technical College President Dr. Ray Perren has been named the Deputy Commissioner for Technical Education for the Technical College System of Georgia.
TCSG Commissioner Greg Dozier made the announcement Tuesday morning.
"Dr. Ray Perren has spent his entire professional life dedicated to providing an outstanding education to students,” Dozier said in a prepared statement. "He has a tremendous amount of leadership experience in both K-12 and postsecondary education in Georgia and will do an outstanding job leading our Technical Education division at TCSG."
Perren was named the president of Lanier Tech in April 2013. Under Perren's leadership, Lanier Tech experienced more than 35% annual enrollment growth as well as a 100% graduate placement for the last five years. Perren led efforts to construct a new main campus for Lanier Technical College in Hall County, the largest single capital project undertaken by TCSG.
Perren told AccessWDUN he was proud of the achievements of so many of Lanier Tech's students and faculty members.
"We've had two instructors, for example, recognized as the very best technical college instructors in Georgia, two of our adult ed students were recognized as two of the very best adult education students in the state [and] we were recognized as the best technical college in Georgia," Perren said in a Tuesday afternoon phone interview. "We've had dozens of students who went on to state Skills competition where they were recognized as the very best in terms of what they do...and we've had some that won national gold medals at the SkillsUSA competition."
Perren said he'll be able to work with all 22 technical colleges across the state in his new position, but he will miss the area.
"Northeast Georgia is the most beautiful part of the state," Perren said. "I'm going to miss living here...I'm going to miss the business and personal relationships I've developed over the last eight years. I'm going to miss interacting with students and seeing the jubilation in their faces as they walk across the stage to get their diplomas, and most of all, I'm going to miss working with what I believe to be the greatest faculty and staff in the nation."
Lanier Technical College Executive Vice President Tim McDonald has been named Interim President of Lanier Technical College.
McDonald has spent 37 years at Lanier Technical College where he currently provides leadership for the Economic Development and Adult Education Divisions of the college. He previously served as Vice President for Economic Development and as the Dean of the College’s Dawson Campus. McDonald’s first 25 years at the college were spent as an instructor in the Machine Tool Technology program.
Current TCSG Deputy Commissioner for Technical Education Joe Dan Banker is retiring on December 31, according to Dozier. To ensure a smooth transition, Tim McDonald will begin serving as Interim President on December 1 as Perren begins shifting into his role on the state level.
