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LOYALIST COLLEGE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

February 12, 2016

At the February 11 meeting of the Loyalist College Board of Governors, President Maureen Piercy advised the Board of her intent to retire on August 31, 2016. President Piercy has been President and CEO of Loyalist since 2005. “Over the past few months I’ve had some health concerns and, despite my deep commitment to Loyalist College, I have decided to retire at the end of this summer,” said President Piercy.

“The Board has accepted Maureen’s decision to retire, with great regret,” said Board Chair June Hagerman. “We want to acknowledge and applaud her leadership at Loyalist, throughout our region, and the Ontario college system. President Piercy is a passionate and engaged post-secondary education leader, and she has been an excellent advocate for Loyalist programs and services. She has promoted the essential mission of Ontario’s colleges in ensuring access to quality applied post-secondary education and opportunity.”

Prior to her appointment as President, Maureen served as Loyalist Vice President Academic, including two terms as Acting President, and held other leadership roles. She joined the College in 1988. Her career in the Ontario college sector spans 36 years, and began at Sheridan College.

“President Piercy has been a tireless and respected champion of Loyalist students, staff, achievements, and partnerships,” said Chair Hagerman. “During her presidency, she has focused on strengthening community outreach with municipalities, businesses and organizations in the region, and on building the College’s capacity.”

Under her leadership the College has undergone a significant expansion of its facilities including the Sustainable Skills, Technology and Life Sciences Centre. The College’s largest fundraising campaign to date generated $7M for equipment and student financial assistance in support of the Centre. The Skills Centre is a regional training and education hub, and has provided the opportunity for new and renewed programming in Skills and Applied Sciences, leading to unprecedented interest and enrolment in these programs. Other developments include the on-campus Multi-Sports Dome, the Digital Media Centre, home to Loyalist’s journalism programming, expansion of the College residence to accommodate close to 600 students on campus, and the continued development of the Bancroft Campus serving the North Hastings region. President Piercy led the development of Loyalist 2020, the Strategic Plan which will guide the directions for the College in the coming years.

President Piercy is Chair of Management Board / Vice Chair of the College Employer Council for the Ontario college system. She has served on, and chaired, a number of regional leadership and community development organizations. She is a member of the Hastings and Prince Edward Board of Health, and the Rotary Club of Belleville where she has been recognized with the Paul Harris Fellowship.

Among her many achievements, President Piercy was named by Brock University as one of its top 30 Graduates of the University’s first 30 years. In 2012, Maureen was named to the Women’s Executive Network Top 100 Women in the Public Sector. She is particularly proud of having the opportunity to serve as an Honorary Colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Between 2009 and 2014, she served in that role with 8 Air Communication and Control Squadron at 8 Wing, CFB Trenton.

“As a proud Loyalist graduate, it has been an exceptional privilege to work for, and with, our students, College faculty and staff, our Boards of Governors, and our many partners, to provide extraordinary learning opportunities which prepare our grads to make a ‘Loyalist Connection’,” said President Piercy. “We know they make wonderful contributions to their workplaces and communities, around the corner and around the world. Loyalist is a special place and community, and I know it will continue to thrive because of the strengths of the Loyalist team.”

“The Board congratulates President Piercy and we wish her the very best as she begins her transition into retirement,” said Chair Hagerman. “We look forward to working with her in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition to the future. During this time, a professional search firm will assist the Board. We are committed to finding a new President who will continue to build on the College’s successes as Loyalist prepares to celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 2017.”

About Loyalist College
When it comes to grads getting jobs, Loyalist College is the #1 College in Ontario. According to Provincial Key Performance Indicator (KPI) results released April 2015, 89.3 percent of the College’s most recent graduates found employment within six months of graduation compared to the provincial average of 84 per cent. Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, Loyalist College is a close-knit community where students and their success come first. Loyalist provides personalized attention in small classes, rewarding field placements and superior student services. To prepare students for in-demand careers, Loyalist offers more than 60 full-time programs; apprenticeships; and hundreds of online, distance and in-class courses, as well as opportunities for continuing education through more than 70 university transfer agreements. The College’s wide selection of advanced diplomas, diplomas and certificates aligns with market-driven disciplines including applied sciences, biosciences, building sciences, business and management studies, health sciences, human studies, justice studies, media, arts and design, and skills and technology. In Ontario, the College’s new Digital Media Centre and the LEED® Silver certified Sustainable Skills, Technology and Life Sciences Centre are training centres of choice for students, as well as College business and industry partners. The College is a key driver of the social and economic health and prosperity of the area and contributes 5.4% to the Gross Regional Product. This represents an overall effect on the regional economy of $530 million – based on a 2014 Report by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI).

For more information on the College’s Belleville and Bancroft campuses, visit loyalistcollege.com.

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Media Contact: Dianne Spencer, Executive Director College Advancement & External Relations,
Loyalist College, dspencer@loyalistc.on.ca, (613) 969-1913, ext. 2235


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