A nationwide search is underway to choose a successor for Dr. Richard A. Hanson, who in August announced he will conclude six years as president of Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College when he retires in June.

Hanson received a standing ovation from faculty and staff following his remarks on Aug. 18 at BSU’s traditional All-University Meeting to kick off the new academic year.

“This is the best job I’ve ever had at the best place I’ve ever been,” Hanson said. “This is a fabulous institution, and we are on the verge of even greater things.”

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Chancellor Dr. Steven Rosenstone visited Bemidji on Sept. 30 to ask campus and community stakeholders what qualities will be most important for the next BSU-NTC president to possess.

He said he expected the search process to yield a successful candidate who not only has outstanding experience and credentials but is the right fit for Bemidji and the culture of the two campuses.

BSU staff who met with Rosenstone said they are looking for someone who is an innovative thinker, a steward of philanthropic support, an expert at increasing student recruitment and retention, and a confident financial strategist.

Rosenstone has appointed a 17-member search committee with representatives from BSU and NTC employee bargaining units, administrators, students and community members. Dr. Connie Gores, president of Southwest Minnesota State University is committee chair.

The search schedule calls for an initial round of candidate interviews on Feb. 25-26, campus visits by finalists in March, and an April 20 appointment by the MnSCU Board of Trustees based on Rosenstone’s recommendation.

Hanson said his decision to retire at the end of his current contract was inevitably difficult, but he looks forward to more time with his wife, Dianne, and their family. He joked about getting a break from frequent four-hour trips to attend meetings at MnSCU headquarters.

“I’ve still got some gas in my tank, but I don’t want to use it driving to St. Paul,” Hanson said.

Hanson’s tenure in Bemidji has included leadership of BSU’s first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign, Imagine Tomorrow, which has already met its initial goal of $35 million for scholarships and academic investment. He also has placed renewed emphasis on international recruitment and education abroad, increased administrative integration and academic partnership between BSU and NTC, and championed BSU’s distinction as a north woods campus that offers students a unique and transformative residential experience.

Major improvements to the BSU campus have also been a hallmark of Hanson’s years, including installation of artificial turf in Chet Anderson Stadium, renovation of Memorial Hall, a public-private project to build a 56-unit student apartment building called University Heights, and the planned replacement of Hagg-Sauer Hall, a project that includes renovation of six other campus buildings.

Hanson also has placed a priority on increasing BSU’s community visibility and engagement, including such steps as establishing an office in the Mayflower Building, an economic development hub in downtown Bemidji, and agreeing to maintain a BSU gallery in the Watermark Arts Center for visual art, also in downtown Bemidji.

In addition, he has strengthened the connections between Bemidji State and NTC, fostering greater academic collaboration in addition to efficiencies gained from dual responsibilities for many administrators and staff. In August 2014, Dr. Hanson initiated a comprehensive process of review for NTC known as “reinvention” that produced streamlined academic programs aligned directly with workforce needs in northern Minnesota.