AGB Search Seeking University of Illinois System President

September 9, 2026 – The University of Illinois Board of Trustees has tapped Washington, D.C.-based recruitment firm AGB Search to lead in its search for the University of Illinois System president. Roderick McDavis, Sally Mason and Garry W. Owens are leading the assignment. The president will lead the system into the next era of higher education with strategic vision, effective and authentic communication, and a proven capacity to foster collaboration and alignment, convene stakeholders, and advance excellence across the system. The president reports directly to the board of trustees and works directly with leadership at each university and within the system offices.

The president leads an executive team of professionals dedicated to carrying out the mission of the system in their specific areas of expertise and as part of a collaborative enterprise-wide administrative function. This includes direct supervision of the three chancellors/vice presidents, who are effectively the chief executive officers of their respective universities.

As the chief executive officer of a public institution of higher education, the president of the University of Illinois System is expected to be an experienced leader with high personal standards, ethics, integrity, and strong moral values. The board of trustees seeks a president with an advanced degree from an accredited university. Candidates should have leadership experience demonstrating the capacity for comprehensive vision and effective execution of decisions reflecting wisdom, foresight, and practical judgment in shaping productive and sustainable programs. They must also have a notable record of distinction in the applicant’s field of expertise, as evidenced by awards, scholarly publications, entrepreneurial endeavors, or recognitions.

The University of Illinois System is a public university system in Illinois comprising the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the University of Illinois Chicago, and the University of Illinois Springfield. The system serves students across a broad range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs and supports research, healthcare, public service, and economic development initiatives throughout the state.

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.

Finding Higher Education Leaders

Dr. Mason joined AGB Search in 2015. In addition to being a senior fellow and executive search consultant with AGB, she is also a trustee at Des Moines University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Since joining the firm, Dr. Mason has assisted a variety of leadership searches including president/chancellor, provost/VPAA, and system administration roles for both public and private institutions. She has held many leadership positions in higher education including president emerita of the University of Iowa and president of the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences. Her representative executive searches include:

• Baylor University – Provost.
• Dakota State University – Provost.
• Florida Institute of Technology – President.
• Marshall University – Dean of science.
• Portland State University – President.
• St. Cloud State University – President.
• University of Minnesota – President.
• University of Montana – Provost.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison – Chancellor.

Dr. McDavis became the managing principal of AGB Search in 2017, after serving as president of Ohio University for 13 years. He is responsible for leading and managing all components of AGB Search including executive search, interim search, executive coaching, and ExecComp, the firm’s compensation evaluation service.

His representative executive searches include:

• University of Colorado Boulder – chancellor.
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln – chancellor.
• California State University, Sacramento – president.
• Central State University – president.
• Polk State College – provost, academic affairs & workforce education.
• University of Pittsburgh – vice chancellor & secretary to the board of trustees.

Dr. Owens joined AGB Search in 2011 after working five years as a senior consultant with another Washington, D.C.-based search and consulting firm. Since 2006, Dr. Owens has completed nearly 80 searches for presidents, vice presidents, provosts, and deans in public and private colleges and universities, as well as in church-affiliated schools, specialized colleges, and the for-profit sector. Dr. Owens served as an academic administrator for 17 years, notably as founding dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Texas Tech University, in addition to key roles at other institutions.

His representative executive searches include:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison – Chancellor.
• University of Nebraska – President.
• University of Minnesota – President.
• Portland State University – President.
• University of Nebraska at Omaha – Chancellor.

Related: AGB Search Seeking Chief Information Technology Officer for Slippery Rock University

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media