Dr. David L. Buettner will say good-bye to North Iowa Area Community College after 20 years as President of the College. He has been named President at Fox Valley Technical College with campuses in Appleton and Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He will begin his duties early January.

"Leaving NIACC and North Iowa will be a very difficult thing for Pam and me to do," said Buettner, who joined NIACC in 1981 at the age of 35. "We have many, many friends here, we raised our boys here, and we have put down considerable roots."

"This is a significant opportunity for me and constitutes a logical progression in my career path. NIACC’s reputation and the collective accomplishments of our board, staff, and faculty played a key role in my successful pursuit of this opportunity," Buettner said.

Kevin Kolbet, President of the NIACC Board of Directors, said Buettner has provided "exemplary service to the North Iowa region" in his role as President of the College. "Dave has provided leadership in budgetary matters and economic development issues, and he has certainly advanced the role of community colleges in Iowa and the Midwest," said Kolbet. "The College Board has had nothing but excellent relations with him and acknowledges that he has had opportunities throughout the years to further his professional development. We wish him all the best in his new position."

It is clear that Buettner will be missed. "North Iowa Area Community College has been privileged to have had an extraordinary president in David Buettner, a man of pragmatic vision with an exceptional work ethic undergirded by utmost integrity," said Joyce Hanes, who served on the NIACC Board of Directors from 1975 to 1993. "David has brought honor to himself, the College he served, and the whole state of Iowa with the quality of his leadership. All of North Iowa and I, personally, will miss him and his wife, Pam, greatly."

Linda See, NIACC Assistant to the President, agrees. "Working with Dave Buettner for 20 years has been the experience of a lifetime. He has been an exemplary ‘servant leader’ and role model for the College and the community," she said. "It has been rewarding to watch the new friendships and relationships that have been formed with students, the community, business and industry leaders, and many others. We have learned so much from him, and he has brought the College to a new level of performance and achievement, even in the face of budgeting obstacles."

According to Kolbet, the NIACC Board will plan its selection process carefully, beginning with an initial planning discussion in conjunction with its next board meeting on December 20.

"Whether the Board looks inside the College, outside the College, or both, we believe that NIACC’s reputation and track record will attract highly qualified candidates for the leadership post," said Kolbet. "We’re confident that NIACC’s management team will handle the transition skillfully and that the College will continue to be a key asset in this region."

The leadership at NIACC (and predecessor Mason City Junior College) has changed hands relatively few times despite the school’s nearly 85-year history. Though their titles have changed from Dean to Superintendent to President, the chief administrators have included James Rae (beginning in 1918), Jay B. MacGregor (1925-26 and 1928-29), R.R. Fahrney (1926-27), S. L. Rugland (1929-1943), Luelda F. Carlton (1943-1947), Clifford H. Beem (1947-1966), William F. Berner (1966-70), David R. Pierce (1970-1981), and David L. Buettner (1981-2001).

Ref. 1992

NIACC News

For more information, contact the Community Relations Office
North Iowa Area Community College, 500 College Drive, Mason City, Iowa  50401
422-4295 or 1-888-GO NIACC, ext. 4295
www.niacc.com