College chooses Armstrong as new president

Updated at 4:04 p.m.

BARSTOW • Barstow Community College announced the selection of Dr. Thom Armstrong as its new president Monday.

Armstrong said Tuesday he accepted the position and will start June 29. The former president of Copper Mountain College, in Joshua Tree, beat out three other candidates, including current BCC Vice President of Administrative Services Curt Mitchell.

Armstrong said he “was very elated” to have been chosen by the board of trustees.

Armstrong was BCC’s interim vice president of academic affairs from September 2008 to April 2009, and then shifted over to serve as acting president of student affairs for another month. Before that, he served as president of Copper Mountain College for three years and was vice president of instruction for seven years at Citrus College, a two-year college in Glendora, which is 25 miles east of Los Angeles.

The board members voted during the closed session of its meeting Monday and Board President Phil Harris announced Armstrong’s selection when the meeting resumed to open session.

According to Interim President Dr. Richard Jones, four board members voted in favor of selecting Armstrong. Trustee Tim Heiden abstained from the vote.

The other candidates, in addition to Armstrong and Mitchell, were Dr. Sharon Dryer, recently retired associate chancellor of Kern Community College District, and Dr. Joe Olson, current vice president of finance and administration at Copper Mountain College.

All four candidates outlined their visions for the college at a public meeting in May, where the board members also interviewed each candidate.

According to Jones, who was present at the closed session meeting but did not participate, the board whittled the candidate pool down to three after eliminating Olson. After that, the board members discussed how they would rank each candidate and came to a “tough” final decision, said Jones.

“They really liked their finalists,” he said.

The college began its search for a new president in December 2008.

Armstrong will replace Jones, who filled the role after Clifford Brock resigned in December 2008. Jones’ last day will be July 2.

Mitchell was unavailable for comment as of press time Tuesday.

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