Belleville, Ontario, June 23, 2022 – The Loyalist College Board of Governors is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Kirkpatrick as Acting President, following the resignation of Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan as President and CEO. Mr. Kirkpatrick will become Acting President effective August 1, 2022, until the next President and CEO has been selected and commences their term.
“The Board of Governors was unanimous in its approval of Mark Kirkpatrick as Acting President,” said Pam Jolliffe, Chair of the Board of Governors. “Mark’s deep knowledge and understanding of the College, across multiple portfolios, and steadfast leadership of the Corporate Services portfolio throughout the pandemic, demonstrate his strong candidacy and ability to provide seamless, experienced leadership during this period of transition.”
“Mark has been a highly-valued member of the College Executive Team,” said Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan, Loyalist College President and CEO, who will begin her term as President and CEO of Humber College on August 29, 2022. “I am very pleased that Mark has accepted this appointment and I’m confident that his leadership will ensure the College continues to build on our solid operational foundation, strategic momentum and Destination College vision.”
After joining Loyalist College in 2005 as Director, Information Technology, Mr. Kirkpatrick modernized the entire IT department by implementing a comprehensive campus IT infrastructure which included creation of Service Desk, enhanced cyber security systems and new software development processes. In 2014, he became Senior Director, Infrastructure and led renovations of the Northumberland Wing to enable leading-edge interprofessional simulation training in Health, Human and Justice Studies. Mr. Kirkpatrick also transformed the outdoor spaces on campus, including the creation of the A’nó:wara Learning Circle to create more inclusive spaces on campus for Indigenous students and employees, and the bike/pedestrian path to build on Loyalist’s intrinsic connection to the City of Belleville by physically connecting the College campus to the City’s cyclist network and downtown Belleville.
Four years ago, Mr. Kirkpatrick established the College’s first Capital Plan that reimagined Loyalist’s facilities in support of the Destination College vision which included plans for the new Culinary and Health and Wellness facilities as well as Varsity and recreation spaces. In December 2019, he joined the College Executive Team as Acting SVP, Corporate Services and CFO before officially being appointed to this role in February 2020. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic shortly thereafter, Mr. Kirkpatrick led the College’s response, working closely with Public Health officials in the region to ensure the health and well-being of our College and surrounding communities was protected. As part of this response, he led students and employees to launch two Regional Immunization Clinics on campus which saw over 60,000 vaccines administered by students under the guidance of Public Health.
Under his vision and leadership, Mr. Kirkpatrick ensured Loyalist College not only survived the pandemic but thrived. He maintained an unwavering commitment to protecting the College’s financial position through cost containment, new revenue generation, and the implementation of a strategic enrolment plan to bolster both domestic and international student enrolment.
Mr. Kirkpatrick holds a Master of Business Administration from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University and has an Applied Science Degree from Queen’s University. He is a licensed electrical engineer and was an early leader in Information Technology working with engineering and technology professionals in the manufacturing, insurance and financial services sectors.
Mr. Kirkpatrick and his wife live in Belleville. They have three adult children and two grandchildren. He has also coached soccer and hockey in the region for over a decade.
The Board of Governors has engaged executive search consultants Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette (KBRS) to assist with the presidential search. Updates will be provided as the search process progresses.
About Loyalist College
Loyalist College is located on the territory of the Huron-Wendat, the Anishnaabeg, and the Haudenosaunee people. We acknowledge our shared obligation to respect, honour, and sustain these lands and the natural resources contained within. Ranked one of Canada’s top 50 research colleges and #1 in the country for industry research income as a percentage of total research income, Loyalist College empowers students, faculty, staff, and partners through experiential, industry cluster-based education, training and applied research programs. As Ontario’s Destination College, the College provides job-ready graduates for, and knowledge transfer to, industry and the community. Of 2018-19 Loyalist graduates, 88.8 percent were employed within six months after graduation. Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, the College is perfectly positioned between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Loyalist College offers more than 70 full-time diploma, certificate and apprenticeship programs in biosciences, building sciences, business, community service, health and wellness, media studies, public safety, and skilled trades. Continuing education options are available through LoyalistFocus.com, including hundreds of online, distance and in-class courses, and through the College’s 100+ university transfer agreements. Loyalist College is a key driver of social and economic health in eastern Ontario. It contributes 3.7 percent of the Gross Regional Product, representing $382 million annually to the regional economy – based on a March 2020 report by Emsi. For more information on Loyalist College’s Belleville, Bancroft and Toronto campuses and Port Hope satellite location, visit loyalistcollege.com.
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Contact:
Kate Gardner
Manager, Strategic Communications
Office of the President & CEO
Loyalist College kgardner@loyalistcollege.com