The Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) District Board of Trustees has selected Jesse Pisors, Ed.D., as the college’s fifth president.
He is succeeding Timothy L. Beard, Ph.D., whose tenure at the college spanned 17 years and who has been PHSC president since 2015, according to a news release from the college.
The board of trustees chose Pisors at its Sept. 6 meeting, at the college’s Spring Hill campus, after the board conducted interviews with the four finalists for the post.
Pisors is expected to take office in early January, and Beard will remain during a transition period before he retires on Jan. 31, according to the release.
“We have full confidence that Dr. Pisors will continue to uphold the college’s core values and will lead PHSC to further success in all future endeavors,” said Lee Maggard, chairman of the college’s board.
Pisors’ career spans over 25 years. He has served as vice president at two public universities: Texas A&M University-San Antonio (TAMUSA) and University of Houston-Victoria (UHV).
Pisors was selected after an intensive, national search for a successor with the assistance of Myers McRae, an executive and consulting firm.
Information released by the college during the search described Pisors as a seasoned leader in the field of higher education. It said his leadership at TAMUSA showcases his dedication to inclusivity, where more than 75% of the student body is Hispanic and 60% are first-generation students.
During his tenure at UHV, initiatives included restructuring the Office of University Advancement and executing a $13 million campaign, surpassing its goal by 12%.
His work in the University of Houston system’s $1 billion campaign indicates his involvement on a larger scale.
Pisors holds a Doctor of Education from Texas Tech University, where his dissertation focused on fundraising challenges and expectations facing university presidents.
Fluent in Spanish, he spent three years leading a private K-12 school in Mexico earlier in his career.
He has provided conference presentations and articles to the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), presenting at conferences, sharing his insights on various aspects of educational advancement and serving on conference committees.
Pisors has served on the board for a number of organizations, including Rotary, United Way, the American Heart Association and the YMCA.
The 18-member Presidential Search Committee was chaired by board member John Mitten and made up of business leaders, community representatives, and PHSC faculty and staff.
The position attracted hundreds of applications, resulting in 13 candidates being interviewed for the job.
Mitten expressed gratitude for the efforts of the search committee and to the finalists for taking part in the process, which includes interviews at a Town Hall meeting and receptions hosted at PHSC’s six locations.
To find out more about the search process and the candidates, visit PHSC.edu/about/leadership/presidential-search.
Published September 27, 2023
