Quarles selected to lead Kentucky Community and Technical College System

After a national search, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System has selected a familiar face as its new leader.
 
Dr. Ryan Quarles, who currently serves as the Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, was selected as the system's fourth president. Earlier this year, he ran for governor, but came in second to Republican gubernatorial nominee, Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Since the primary election, Quarles has hinted at a goal of joining higher education.

Quarles also served in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 2011-2016.

A graduate of Scott County High School, Quarles holds seven college degrees, .including a doctorate in higher education administration from Vanderbilt University and a master’s degree in higher education from Harvard University.

In a statement, he writes "I am both humbled and excited to further my public service towards the Commonwealth through KCTCS-our state’s most impactful higher education entity," adding "as a former community college student, I'm excited to get started."

Quarles was selected from a pool of more than 40 applicants that was whittled down to three finalists – including Dean McCurdy, the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, and Beverly Walker-Griffea, the president of Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan.