HFCC Gets New President

DEARBORN -- The Henry Ford Community College Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Stan Jensen as the fifth president of the institution.

Jensen's first day was Tuesday, May 1.

Jensen said that he is ready to contribute to the College and believes that this opportunity is a good fit for him based on his background, experience in higher education, and desire to help the organization increase its value to the Dearborn community and state of Michigan.

"I believe there are many great things ahead of Henry Ford Community College," Jensen said. "I look forward to working with the dedicated faculty and staff to ensure that the college thrives and builds on its legacy as an exceptional institution of higher education."

Prior to joining HFCC, Jensen served as president and CEO of Colorado Mountain College. CMC is a growing institution that is ranked first in Colorado and 17th in the nation for student success, as measured by graduation rates and transfer rates.

As a higher education administrator, Jensen has focused on strategic planning for college growth, program development, resource development, strategic technology adoption and leadership. His presidency at CMC reflected strong growth in enrollment, retention, revenues, assets, reserves, doubling of the endowment, improved technology and building of new physical facilities.

Additionally, he is a published author of three books on the topics of leadership and team building. During his career, he was also founder and president of his own consulting company and for more than 20 years, provided leadership development, team building, process improvement training, personal coaching, strategic planning, and keynote addresses to businesses, colleges, universities and nonprofit organizations. He has built hundreds of process improvement teams and provided leadership training to more than 30 colleges across the country.

"It is essential that everyone works together to help enhance the reputation of the College through programs and services, and help our students achieve success in both the classroom and work place," Jensen said, adding that the Dearborn community "will play a vital role in HFCC's growth and student success. Dearborn is a vibrant, strong-knit community and is a key partner in the institution's success."

Jensen's immediate plans are to address HFCC's deficit, help retain students in order for them to complete their studies, and increase graduation rates.

Jensen replaces Gail Mee, who left HFCC to pursue other opportunities. She was the fourth president of the College and the first female to serve in that role. During her successful tenure, enrollment at the College increased by several thousand students.

More at www.hfcc.edu.