In the regular board meeting on Thursday, March 13, the Johnson County Community College (JCCC) Board of Trustees unanimously approved the selection of Dr. Tony Miksa as the College’s seventh president.
Miksa will assume the position of JCCC President on July 1, 2025.
The vote concludes a search process that began in September 2024, following the resignation of JCCC’s sixth President, Dr. Andy Bowne, in December 2023. Dr. Judy Korb was appointed interim College President in January 2024.
Miksa was one of three finalists for the position. Following the vote on Thursday, the Chair of the JCCC Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee, Melody Rayl, said:
“Dr. Tony Miksa is a proven leader who has demonstrated a commitment to Johnson County Community College’s mission, vision, and values. Dr. Miksa’s experience uniquely positions them to lead JCCC as we continue to transform lives, strengthen communities, and inspire student learning and success. The Board of Trustees is confident Dr. Miksa has the integrity and expertise to serve in this critically important role.”
Other finalists for the position included Dr. Feleccia Moore-Davis, the Campus President and Chief Academic Officer for St. Louis Community College—Meramec, and Dr. Curt Oldfield, the President at Spoon River College in Canton, IL.
About Dr. Miksa
Miksa currently serves as President of Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tennessee, and has over 20 years of experience in higher education.
Prior to his role as President at Walters State Community College, Miksa served as Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at McHenry County College. He has also held leadership positions, including Dean of Math, Science and Health Professions and Dean of Mathematics, Science, Education and Health at both Elgin Community College and Kishwaukee College. Earlier in Miksa’s career, he served as a tenured mathematics instructor at Kishwaukee College.
In addition to his professional endeavors, Miksa is Chair of the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Board in Lakeway, Tennessee. He has also served as Chair of the Morristown Chamber of Commerce and was actively involved with the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, both in Tennessee. He received multiple awards, including the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) President’s Paragon Award for new presidents and Mount Mercy College Distinguished Alumni Award.
Miksa holds a Doctor of Education, Community College Leadership from National Louis University, a Master of Arts in Mathematics from the University of Northern Iowa, a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Mount Mercy College, and an Associate of Arts in Mathematics from Kishwaukee College.
Presidential search process
During the Fall 2024, JCCC announced it would launch a nationwide search for the next College president with the assistance of the consulting firm Academic Search. The firm has conducted more than 2,400 successful searches for college presidents, chancellors, provosts, vice presidents, and deans in a variety of disciplines.
The College also established an 11-member Presidential Search Committee to help select candidates and guide the presidential search process.
In September 2024, the College held community-wide listening sessions for JCCC stakeholders and community partners to share thoughts about the characteristics, accomplishments, and experiences the ideal presidential candidates should bring to the position. The input provided helped to develop a “search profile” for the position, which was posted in October 2024.
The search committee interviewed semifinalists in January 2025, after which the committee identified three finalists, who visited JCCC’s main campus in February 2025. Each finalist candidate participated in community open forums where the candidate made a short presentation and answered questions about their experiences and leadership style. After each forum, attendees were encouraged to share their feedback about the candidates through an online survey.
After thoughtful consideration of their respective experiences and abilities, seeking input from various professional references, and reviewing feedback from College stakeholders, Miksa was selected as the next JCCC President.
