The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) today named members of the Albany State University (ASU) Presidential Search Committee. The committee will conduct a national search to replace President Marion Ross Fedrick, who announced in February she had accepted the role of executive vice president and chief of staff to the president at Georgia State University.

Fedrick joined ASU, a historically Black college and university (HBCU), in 2017 and served as both the interim executive vice president and interim president before the board appointed her as Albany State’s 10^th president on Aug. 14, 2018. Prior to her role at ASU, Fedrick served as USG’s vice chancellor for human resources. In addition to Fedrick joining Georgia State this summer, USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue has asked her to also serve as a senior advisor for initiatives related to the system’s three public historically Black colleges and universities.

“With Marion’s leadership, Albany State has achieved three consecutive years of growth in enrollment and a significant increase in freshmen retention,” Perdue said. “The search committee’s priority will be to find another exceptional leader who will continue that momentum and nurture Albany State’s critical role in the community and as one of the premier HBCUs in Georgia.”

Members of the Presidential Search Committee are as follows:

• Regent Bárbara Rivera Holmes, committee chair

• Regent Cade Joiner

• Regent and Board Chairman Harold Reynolds

• Regent Deep J. Shah, MD

• Former Regent Sarah-Elizabeth Langford, executive director, Development Authority of Fulton County

• Teresa MacCartney, chief operating officer, USG

• Robert Owor, Ph.D.; executive director, Center for Innovation and Emerging Technologies; professor, College of Arts and Sciences

• Matt Reed, president and chief executive officer, Georgia CEO

• Traymone Rucker, president, ASU Student Government Association

• State Sen. Freddie Powell Sims

• TaKeshia Thomas, Ed.D.; president, ASU National Alumni Association

“Albany State plays a critical role in Southwest Georgia by preparing students for the modern workforce through economic development, strategic partnerships and entrepreneurship,” Regent Holmes said. “It is an honor to chair this committee as we prepare to search for a strong leader of the largest HBCU in our state. I look forward to finding candidates who can build on Albany State’s vital history and record of impact, and who will continue providing the leadership and talent that will foster economic growth in the Albany area and throughout Georgia.”

The Presidential Search Committee will guide the first stage of the search. AGB Search has been retained to provide executive search consulting services. At the conclusion of its work, the committee will forward the credentials of three to five unranked candidates to the Board of Regents for consideration.

The initial meeting of the Presidential Search Committee will be on July 10, at which time the members will be formally charged with their roles and responsibilities in conducting the search.