LEXINGTON, Va., Nov. 6, 2020—On Oct. 26, 2020, Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III, VMI’s 14^th Superintendent, tendered his resignation to the president of the VMI Board of Visitors, John William Boland. Gen. Peay has served as superintendent since 2003. On Oct. 29, 2020, in response to Gen. Peay’s announcement, Boland appointed Gene Scott ‘80, member of the VMI Board of Visitors, as chair of the Superintendent Search Committee.

In the execution of one of the most important responsibilities of VMI’s governing board, the appointment and oversight of the superintendent, the committee will work toward finding the Institute’s next great leader. The full search committee consists of the following members:

• Gene Scott, Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors, Chair
• Tom Watjen, Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors, Vice-Chair
• John William Boland, Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors (ex officio) 
• Laura Tyler Chambers, Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors
• Gen. Charles E. Dominy (Ret.), Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors
• Conrad Hall, Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors
• Michael L. Hamlar, Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors
• Hugh M. Fain, Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors
• David L. Miller, Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors
• Gen. Frances C. Wilson (Ret.), Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors
• Tom Slater, former Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors President
• Samuel N. Stocks, President, Virginia Military Institute Alumni Association
• Emily Miller, Department Head, English, Rhetoric, & Humanistic Studies

The search committee will engage in a national search with the assistance of an executive search firm that has extensive experience in the recruitment and placement of higher education leaders. Tentatively, the timeframe for the nomination of a candidate is mid-to-late spring, 2021.

Once the search firm is selected, the committee and the search firm will begin the process of gathering input from VMI’s constituencies, including cadets, faculty, staff, alumni, members of the community, and broader public. This information will be gathered through forums and through email submission to superintendentsearch@vmi.edu.

The search committee will be supported and staffed by Col. Lee Rakes, Director of Institute Assessment and Evaluation.

A VMI website where information about the search process and the committee’s progress is currently under development. This announcement will be updated with the web address when it becomes available.

The search committee can be reached by email at superintendentsearch@vmi.edu.

Note: The list of search committee members was updated on November 10, 2020.

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