Director of Institutional Advancement named NCMPR District 5 Communicator of the Year
Ronald E. Thomas, Ph.D., president of Dakota County Technical College, was named 2011 NCMPR District 5 Pacesetter of the Year. The National Council for Marketing & Public Relations, or NCMPR, connects marketing and public relations professionals at community and technical colleges in seven districts across the U.S. and Canada. The Pacesetter of the Year Award recognizes a community or technical college president or CEO who has demonstrated special leadership and support in marketing and public relations. The Pacesetter is awarded annually in each of NCMPR’s seven districts. District recipients automatically become a nominee for the national award, which will be presented at the 2012 Conference: “Golden Connection,” March 11 to 14, 2012, at the Fairmont San Francisco Hotel in San Francisco, Calif.
President Thomas was honored by the award, which he accepted personally at the 2011 NCMPR District 5 Conference: “Omaha Stampede,” Sept. 25–27 in Omaha, Neb. “NCMPR is a wonderful organization,” Thomas said. “They support the missions of 650 colleges across North America and provide tremendous professional development opportunities to nearly 1,600 members.”
Ronald E. Thomas, Ph.D.
Ronald E. Thomas, Ph.D. | NCMPR District 5 2011 Pacesetter of the Year
President, Dakota County Technical College
Board Chair, National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship
Born in West Frankfort, Ill., Ron Thomas graduated from Roxana High School in nearby Roxana before earning his Bachelor of Science in social science and physical education at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo. He went on to earn a Master of Science in guidance from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and later his Ph.D. in education from SIU Carbondale.
At Rochester Community and Technical College, in Rochester, Minn., Thomas first worked as a dean and then interim president. From there, he served as president of Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kan., before becoming president of Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount, Minn., a position he has held since 1999.
Thomas resides with his wife, Ann, in Lakeville, Minn. The couple’s daughter, Taylor, 19, is a sophomore at Northwestern University, majoring in journalism and economics.
The full story: 2011 NCMPR District 5 Pacesetter of the Year
