CarterBaldwin Recruits Fourth President for Covenant College
October 26, 2023 – CarterBaldwin Executive Search has assisted in the recruitment of Brad Voyles as the new president of Covenant College. Consultant Stephanie Steele led the assignment. The presidential search committee began its search this spring after former president Derek Halvorson was named director of the Brock-Barnes Center for Leadership. Prior to the vote to elect Dr. Voyles as president, Richard Bowser, board trustee and chair of the presidential search committee, said: “Having carefully considered all of the candidate’s materials, the candidate interviews, and having prayed earnestly the committee would be led to the person uniquely qualified to lead Covenant College, the committee strongly recommends the board of trustees appoint Brad Voyles as the next president of Covenant College.”
“Dr. Voyles’ administrative and operational experience in higher education makes him uniquely suited for his role as president,” said Richard Bowser, board trustee and chair of the presidential search committee. “He has led with character and competence—taking initiative for the benefit of others… self-forgetting for the sake of the institution and the kingdom.”
Since July 2023, Dr. Voyles has been serving as interim president of Covenant College in addition to his regular responsibilities. Dr. Voyles has been the vice president for student development and dean of students at Covenant College since 2005. During that time, he has provided leadership in admissions and financial aid (2018 – 2019), in business operations and physical plant (2017 and again in 2021 until the present), and in response to COVID-19 (2020–2021).
“I am humbled to be asked to lead in this season of Covenant College and understand the weight of the responsibility entrusted to me by the board of trustees,” said Dr. Voyles. “We are training up and sending young men and women into the world who are biblically rooted, expertly trained, and vocationally agile, and who the lord will use for his purposes to his glory. I’m so grateful for the sacrificial service of faculty and staff and their willingness to lean in during this time of transition. Their eagerness to go above and beyond with regard to helping with enrollment has been a true gift.”
Private, Liberal Arts Christian College
Founded in 1955 and located in Lookout Mountain, GA, Covenant College is a private, liberal arts Christian college. The school seeks to inspire and equip its 840+ students to be faithful stewards of their God-given abilities, and, as the college of the Presbyterian Church of America, teaches subjects from a reformed theological worldview.
Related: CarterBaldwin Recruits President for Liberty University
Headquartered in Atlanta, CarterBaldwin provides executive search services in the healthcare, technology, non-profit, consumer services, industrial, and media/telecom sectors. Its clients include name-brand institutions, such as KPMG, ADP, Teradata, First Data, Duke University, New York Life, Fleet Pride, and Berkshire Hathaway. The firm is listed among a variety of rankings published by Hunt Scanlon Media, including its Top 50, Private Equity Power 100, and Top 40 Higher Education Search Firms.
How Culture Impacts an Organization
In this brand new episode of ‘Talent Talks,’ Rob Adams is joined by Chris Guiney, a partner at CarterBaldwin Executive Search. Here, Mr. Guiney discusses the topic of culture and its impact on organizations. He also examines how the culture of private equity firms differs from non-profit organizations and then closes by discussing the future impact of culture and DEI initiatives. Listen Now!
Dr. Steele joined CarterBaldwin following a career in higher education both as a faculty member and in student life at Union University. For more than a decade, she taught advanced statistics to doctoral students at Union University. Dr. Steele also taught courses in Union University’s master of education program including faith and ethics in educational leadership. In addition to teaching, she served as chair for dissertation committees for doctoral degrees in educational leadership, school reform, and higher education leadership.
Recent Search
CarterBaldwin recently assisted in the recruitment of B. Keith Faulkner as the fourth president of Charleston Southern University (CSU). The selection followed an extensive nationwide search led by CarterBaldwin, the same executive search firm that landed outgoing president Dondi Costin at CSU five years prior. Chaired by Jerry Williams, a former trustee board chair, and Judy Hetz, current board chair, the 12-member presidential search committee was comprised of trustees, former trustees, alumni, and employees representing areas such as academics, student success, alumni engagement, and athletics.
Ms. Hetz said that the committee’s primary requirement in selecting a candidate was an individual who held a demonstrable history of living the Christian faith as a believer in Jesus Christ as their savior. According to Ms. Hetz, the search for a person with a deep faith was the “undergirding and motivating factor” for their leadership skills.
Related: CarterBaldwin Places 16th President at Oklahoma Baptist University
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; and Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
