Westmont Magazine Presidential Finalists Selected

Chancellor David Winter to Serve as Interim President Starting July 1

They started with more than 100 nominees and a daunting task: finding the best person to succeed Stan D. Gaede as president of Westmont. The trustees and faculty on the presidential search committee worked their way through a stack of applications and selected seven candidates to interview.

Two stood out, and the committee asked them to visit campus in September to meet with faculty, staff, students and trustees. “We had energizing interviews and an overwhelming consensus on the finalists,” says Trustee Merlin Call, who chairs the search committee. “Both candidates enthusiastically accepted our invitation. We will announce their names as soon as circumstances permit. We’re excited.”

Since a new president won’t arrive until January 2007 and President Gaede leaves June 30, the board has asked Chancellor David K. Winter to assume some of the responsibilities of the presidency. Winter, who served as president of Westmont for 25 years, resumes leadership of the college July 1.

“We’re thankful for the experienced leaders we have among our current administration and trustees and former administrators,” says David Eaton, chair of the board. “We are so encouraged that David Winter is willing and prepared to serve. Because he has carried the title of chancellor for most of the past five years, he will continue in that position with the added responsibility of the presidency. We expect the appointment to last until the new president is installed, which we trust will be January 1, 2007.”

Since he left the presidency in 2001, Winter has been involved in a number of college initiatives, including the process to update the college’s approved Master Plan and the annual President’s Breakfast, which debuted in February. He continues to be a visible presence on campus and in the local community.

In May, Santa Barbara’s Hillside House honored Winter as a Man of Purpose for his work supporting the disabled. He lost 90 percent of his vision in 1998 and attempts to build bridges between mainstream and disaled communities. In addition to supporting Hillside House, Winter has been actively involved with the Braille Institute. He also volunteers for Young Life and the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission.