wfn.org | Troy Vanaken Named President of ELCA's Thiel College

[<NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

Title: Troy Vanaken Named President of ELCA's Thiel College
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

>March 9, 2009  

Troy Vanaken Named President of ELCA's Thiel College
09-060-FI

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Dr. Troy D. VanAken will become the 19th
president of Thiel College, Greenville, Pa., in July 2009. The
college's board of trustees elected him Feb. 20. VanAken is
executive vice president of Albion College, Albion, Mich. Thiel
is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America.

VanAken, 41, succeeds Dr. Robert C. Olson, who will retire
after two years as president of Thiel College. In November the
board named Olson president, retroactive to his interim
appointment in March 2007. Olson is recognized in the records and
history of Thiel College as its 18th president.

"I look forward to Dr. VanAken leading Thiel to a new era of
excellence and strength. He comes to us with the energy,
commitment and depth of experience that will ensure Thiel's
success," said Dr. M. Roy Strausbaugh, Erie, Pa., board chair.

VanAken said he was impressed with the college's progress
and potential. "I am honored to be given the opportunity to join
the Thiel College community as president," he said. "During the
campus interview, the interactions my wife and I had with
trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and members of the
Lutheran church and Greenville communities were overwhelmingly
positive."

At Albion, VanAken's responsibilities include budget
planning and oversight, facilities planning and fundraising.

"This presidency represents an outstanding opportunity for
Troy, and I know he will continue to demonstrate at Thiel the
strong and committed leadership that he has shown at Albion,"
said Donna M. Randall, president, Albion College. "Troy has
served Albion College very well in a variety of roles over the
past 10 years and given assistance to many members of our campus
community."

Born in Hillsdale, Mich., VanAken graduated from Hillsdale
College.  He holds master's and doctoral degrees in mathematics
from Bowling Green State University (BGSU), Bowling Green, Ohio,
where he was a research fellow, course coordinator and teaching
assistant.

VanAken has worked as a high school football and track
coach, serving on committees for both the NCAA and Michigan
Intercollegiate Athletic Association. He started three
technology-related companies and served as facilities, technology
and strategic planning consultant.

At the University of Evansville, Evansville, Ind., VanAken
served as assistant vice president for instructional technology
and assistant professor of mathematics. At Albion College he was
acting head of institutional advancement, vice president for
finance and management, athletic director/executive assistant to
the president and vice president for information technology.

In 2002 VanAken was awarded an American Council on Education
Fellowship and worked at San Jose State University, San Jose,
Calif., before returning to Albion. In 2007 he became Albion's
executive vice president.

VanAken and his wife, Annette, are the parents of two
children, Trey and Gabriella.  They are members of St. Paul's
Lutheran Church, a congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod in Hillsdale, Mich.

Thiel College was founded in 1866. It is a liberal arts,
sciences and professional studies institution with an enrollment
of more than 1,100 students.
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The home page for Thiel College is at http://www.thiel.edu/
on the Web.

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