Office of the President
President Search Updates
Midland University Continues in its Diligent and Thorough Search for its Next President
December 12, 2024
CarterBaldwin Executive Search, along with the nine-person search committee, will continue to review the candidate pool in the coming months as they search for the right replacement for current President Jody Horner. President Horner is committed to serving in her role at Midland through the end of the 2024-25 academic year as the search process continues.
We will have further updates in February as we search for the right candidate to lead our institution.
The nine-person search committee recently conducted in-person interviews with potential candidates and is pleased with the talent and diversity of the candidate pool.
The committee also reported that it remains on track with its original timeline of finding a replacement early in 2025 and that a start date for a new president would depend on the availability of the top candidate.
CarterBaldwin Executive Search has been leading the process to find a new president at Midland. Jody Horner announced last spring that she will be stepping down as president once the new hire is complete.
Faculty and staff at Midland University will have an opportunity to meet with Bill Peterson, a partner with CarterBaldwin Executive Search, during five different sessions on Thursday, September 5th, 2024.
CarterBaldwin has been hired to find a new president at Midland. Jody Horner announced last spring that she will be stepping down as president once the new hire is complete.
Faculty/staff feedback is valued and this will be the only opportunity to share any feedback directly with CarterBaldwin. More information will be provided regarding times of the sessions.
Questions faculty/staff will be invited to share feedback on include:
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- What about Midland should be preserved?
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- What opportunities do you see ahead for the next president?
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- What are the attributes, qualifications, and experiences needed in order for the next president to be successful?
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- What advice do you have for the Search Committee & CarterBaldwin as they begin to assess candidates in the days ahead?
The nine-person search committee, composed of community leaders and Midland representatives, will review resumes throughout the month of September and select eight candidates to interview. The first round of interviews will be conducted in October, with the field narrowed to 3-5 candidates.
A second round of interviews is scheduled to be conducted by the search committee in November, with the field reduced to 1-2 finalists. The final candidate is projected to be presented to the Board of Directors in December, with approval expected early in 2025.
President Jody Horner announced that she will retire during the 2024-25 academic year once a replacement has been named. Executive search firm CarterBaldwin has been engaged to work with the 9-member search committee throughout the process of finding Midland’s next president.
Although applications will be accepted until the time that a new President is appointed, candidates should submit application materials consisting of a resume and a letter of interest addressed to the President Search Committee by August 30, 2024, for most favorable consideration. Nominations, expressions of interest, and applications should be submitted to MidlandPresident@carterbaldwin.com. Visit the CarterBaldwin website to view and download the position profile.
On September 5, CarterBaldwin will visit the Midland University campus for listening sessions with faculty and staff. More information will be available at the start of the school year about these sessions.
The goal is for a new president to be named early in 2025.
Midland University will continue to provide updates throughout the search process.
Midland University has finalized a search committee as it begins the process of finding a replacement for President Jody Horner, who announced that she will retire during the 2024-25 academic year once a replacement has been named.
Executive search firm Carter Baldwin has been engaged to work with the search committee in the process. Bill Peterson, a partner at Carter Baldwin, will serve as the lead for the search and will be supported by Dr. Stephanie Steele, Search Consultant, and Tatum Preston, Director of Research.
Members of the nine-person search committee are:
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- Peggy Hall – Former Vice President of Mission and Spiritual Care Immanuel Communities/Midland University Board of Directors
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- Rico Munn ‘93 – Chief of Staff, Office of the President Colorado State University/ Midland University Board of Directors
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- Brett Richmond – President & CEO Methodist Fremont Health/Midland University Board of Directors
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- Mary Shannon – President & CEO Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters/Midland University Board of Directors
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- Tony Urban ‘92 – Principal, Tax Services, RSM/Midland University Board of Directors
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- Keith Kramme ‘87 – Director of Student Success/Director of Athletic Student Achievement, Midland University
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- Jon Moxness – Associate Professor of Business, Midland University
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- Lauren Pimentel – Midland University Senior/President of Student Senate 2024-25
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- Cindy Slykhuis – Vice President – Marketing & Community Engagement RVR Bank
Midland University will provide periodic updates throughout the search process. Members of the campus community will be able to participate in upcoming listening sessions. More information about those sessions will be shared in the coming weeks.
Jody Horner was announced as Midland University’s 16th president in December of 2014 and has guided the university to exponential growth during her tenure.
Horner oversaw the development and opening of the Omaha location in 2017 and her eye for innovation-led Midland to introduce the 1:1 Initiative in 2019 where each student on the Fremont campus receives a free iPad and Apple Pencil. She has also been a part of numerous campus improvements, including the addition of Midland’s newest residence hall in 2020 with the completion of the Miller Hall, a $10 million project.
The Midland athletic department has grown to 33 varsity sports and more than 900 student-athletes during her time as president, making it the largest athletic program in the state and one of the largest in the country.
In addition to student support and athletic enhancements, the university has expanded to more than 250 opportunities in the arts, added numerous clubs and student groups, and launched new options for graduate studies.
Prior to her arrival at Midland, Horner served as President of Cargill Meat Solutions and Cargill Case Ready. Responsible for a multi-billion dollar corporation that supplies some of the world’s largest retailers and leading more than 3,000 employees, Horner facilitated a high-growth strategy through approaches that increased employee engagement while dramatically reducing turnover at all levels. Before taking over Cargill Meat Solutions and Cargill Case Ready, she served as president of one of the world’s largest food, industrial, and agricultural salt enterprises.
As an advocate for the power of education and innovation, Horner championed the successful launch of the Cargill Innovation Center. A $15 million investment, the project created a world-class destination for collaborative efforts by food scientists, microbiologists, and culinary teams engaged in research and development.
In addition to extensive corporate success, Horner has applied her skills to leadership in higher education. She has actively served on the Board of Regents for St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. A featured classroom speaker, she draws on previous experiences managing college recruiting at Cargill to consider methods of better connecting students with employers at graduation.
Horner holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from St. Olaf College and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management.
Contacts:
General Inquiries
Jess Knoell
Phone: 402-941-6142
knoell@midlandu.edu
Media Inquiries