AGB Search Places President of West Liberty University

May 16, 2023 – Washington, D.C.-based AGB Search, which specializes in higher education leadership assignments, has placed Tim Borchers as the next president of West Liberty University (WLU)  in West Virginia. Dr. Borchers is currently vice president for academic affairs at Peru State College in Nebraska. Richard A. Wueste, senior executive search consultant, and Jerome A. Gilbert, executive search consultant, led the assignment.

Dr. Borchers will assume his new role on July 1. He succeeds interim president Cathy Monteroso who has served as interim president since Jan. 1. Former president W. Franklin Evans stepped down at the end of last year when his contract expired. The board of governors had declined to renew his contract.

“I am pleased to announce that Dr. Borchers was chosen by a unanimous vote and has accepted our offer to become West Liberty University’s president,” said Rich Lucas, chairman of WLU’s board of governors, who also served on the presidential search committee. “We welcome him to the Hilltop and look forward to introducing him to our students, alumni, donors, friends, and the wider community.”

Strong Experience

“I would like to express my thanks to the search committee led by Tom Cervone and the AGB Search professionals who assisted us in selecting the next leader,” said Mr. Lucas. “All four final candidates were strong prospects with years of experience. I am confident that Dr. Borchers will lead West Liberty University into a vibrant future and continue its mission of quality education for all.”

During Dr. Borchers’ current tenure at Peru State College, the school achieved its highest first-year retention rate and enrolled two of the largest first-year student classes in the past 30 years. He spearheaded the campus migration to new retention software, and added new academic programs and partnerships to prepare Peru State students to meet the workforce needs of the State of Nebraska.

Dr. Borchers provided leadership so that Peru State received continuing accreditation status with the Higher Learning Commission in 2022. He also led the assessment of academic and general education programs while providing support to co-curricular assessment efforts.

Preparing Leaders

Prior to his current position, Dr. Borchers served as dean of the College of Arts, Media, and Communication at Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) from 2008 to 2015. Before that, he was founding chair of the communication studies department at MSUM and served as associate dean of the College of Arts and Humanities and the College of Social and Natural Sciences. Dr. Borchers holds both a doctorate and master’s degree in communication from Wayne State University and a bachelor’s degree in speech communication from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“I am humbled and honored to be selected as the next president of West Liberty University,” said Dr. Borchers. “For 187 years, West Liberty has served the state by preparing graduates to be leaders in their communities and professions. I look forward to continuing that work while identifying ways to be innovative and responsive to a changing world.”

Established in 1837, West Liberty University is located near Wheeling. WLU is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and by the state of West Virginia. Ranked as No. 9 among most the diverse colleges and universities in the state, as ranked by NICHE.com, it is one of the most affordable universities nationwide. With a 12:1 student-to-faculty-ratio, WLU provides quality education to a diverse, inclusive, and equitable student body, offering more than 70 academic majors, leading to baccalaureate and master degrees.

Serving Universities

AGB Search conducts searches for college and university presidents, chancellors, provosts, vice presidents, deans, university system heads, and CEOs of coordinating boards and related foundations. The firm was founded by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) in 2010.

Related: AGB Search Selected by University of North Dakota to Find Provost

Dr. Wueste has conducted more than 50 searches since joining AGB Search in 2012. His search work is informed by 25 years of experience as an executive in higher education. He has served as president of Adams State University, vice president and chief operating officer of Heritage University, assistant vice president for administrative services and treasurer of an auxiliary services corporation at SUNY-Stony Brook, and administrator for university services and human resources at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Dr. Gilbert joined AGB Search in 2022. He is a biomedical engineer with experience as an administrator, a faculty member, and a funded researcher. He was president of Marshall University for six years. Before that, Dr. Gilbert served at North Carolina State University, UNC Chapel Hill, and Mississippi State University.

A Previous Search

Recently, AGB Search helped recruit Lori Stewart Gonzalez as president of Ohio University. She replaces Hugh Sherman, who agreed to serve a two-year term with plans to retire at the end of this academic year. Sally Mason, Larry Ladd, and Garry W. Owens led the assignment. The selection of Dr. Gonzalez concludes an extensive national search that began with a thorough university-wide engagement project early in fall 2022 that both set expectations and guided the overall search process.

“Dr. Gonzalez has broad experience as an academic leader and a deep commitment to the power of public higher education,” said Peggy Viehweger, chair of the Ohio University board of trustees and chair of the presidential search committee. “What set her apart, however, was her open and honest communication style and her demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and to build strong teams – characteristics our stakeholders told us were of utmost importance.”

Related: AGB Search Assists Gonzaga University in Finding CHRO

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media