I am honored to serve as the president of two amazing institutions - Bemidji State University and NTC, Bemidji's Technical College. Together, these two institutions serve approximately 5,000 students - half are first-generation college students, 92% receive financial aid, nearly 10% are American Indian and nearly 20% are students of color, and more than 40% are adult learners. We are comprehensively regional with a shared focus on access and affordability, high-quality instruction, and measured value for our graduates. Strategically, our areas of focus are (a) Student Success - academically and holistically, (b) Nisidotaading (Ojibwe for "having mutual understanding") - our unique approach to DEI, and (c) Northern Distinction with strong workforce partnerships in a great college town and across all of Northern Minnesota spanning the Northwestern prairie and grasslands to the woods and lakes of North Central Minnesota to the Iron Range in the Northeast. One special point of pride is that while BSU and NTC collectively serve 3.4% of all students who attend a Minnesota State College or University, we serve 22.5% of the American Indian students in the Minnesota State System. In fact, we have the second largest population of American Indian students in the state, second only to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, which serves nearly 55,000 students.During my first years at BSU and NTC, my primary task has been to lead, support, and serve two institutions working through substantial turnaround experiences following significant enrollment declines and financial challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the beginning of my third year, enrollment has grown at both institutions, new programs and partnerships have been launched, and budgets are now balanced. In terms of fundraising, BSU has more than tripled annual donations compared to the previous five years, and NTC raised more dollars during the 2023-2024 school year than in the prior five years combined. There is still significant and difficult work ahead, but BSU and NTC are demonstrating the capacity to turn the corner. Most importantly, student outcomes have remained strong throughout the turnaround process. A significant key to success has been hiring a talented and diverse executive cabinet that has become a high-performing team.Beyond the office, I am the proud husband of Dr. Joy Hoffman and the proud stepparent of Hanna and CJ. I enjoy regular walks with our dog, occasional home improvement projects, and carving out time to listen to music.