Title: John Sladek Named President of ELCA's California Lutheran University ELCA NEWS SERVICE
June 21, 2006
John Sladek Named President of ELCA's California Lutheran University 06-085-KH/LF*
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Dr. John Sladek of Evergreen, Colo., was named the new president and chief executive officer of California Lutheran University (CLU), Thousand Oaks, succeeding Dr. Luther S. Luedtke who had served as president of the university for nearly 14 years. CLU is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Luedtke resigned in December to accept a position as president of the Education Development Center, Newton, Mass. A national presidential search was conducted over the past four months by a committee of CLU constituents, chaired by Kate McLean, member, CLU Board of Regents. The Rev. Howard Wennes served as interim president and will continue until Sladek is officially instated Aug. 15.
"The selection of Dr. Sladek as the sixth president is an important step for CLU, given the progress that the university is making both academically and physically," McLean said in a CLU news release. "He will be a crucial addition to CLU's leadership team, rounding out the impressive blend of talents already present in the CLU faculty and administration."
A graduate of Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis., Sladek received his master of science degree in biostructure from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, and earned a doctorate in anatomy from Chicago Medical School. Carthage is one of 28 colleges and universities of the ELCA.
Sladek currently serves as vice chancellor for research at the University of Colorado at Denver. His scholarly work is in the field of neurology and anatomy. Sladek has served as vice chancellor of research and professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at the university since 2001. He has also held faculty leadership positions at Chicago Medical School and the University of Rochester, N.Y.
"Dr. Sladek's distinguished career as a leader and scholar and his commitment to the distinctive mission and excellence of Lutheran higher education uniquely qualify him for the tasks ahead," said William Kane, chair, CLU Board of Regents.
Sladek has remained connected to his Lutheran undergraduate alma mater as a 10-year member of the Carthage College Board of Trustees, where he serves as chair of the Division of Natural Sciences advisory committee.
"I have been impressed by CLU's commitment to excellence in undergraduate and graduate studies, its high-quality faculty and students, its strong sense of tradition and community, and its very evident potential for growth and greatness," Sladek said in the release. "I am aware of the president's need to articulate the overall mission and Lutheran identity of the university. I look forward to working with the Lutheran church and the larger faith community," he said.
Sladek and his wife Celia have three grown children -- Jonathan, Stefan and Jessica. Formal inauguration ceremonies will be held for the president-elect at a later date.
---
More information about California Lutheran University is available at http://www.callutheran.edu/ on the Web.
* Lynda Paige Fulford is the senior director of communications, CLU. Katherine R. Hinck is a senior journalism and religion major at Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D. This summer Hinck is an intern with the ELCA News Service.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog