The executive director of Alabama’s Commission on Higher Education plans to retire at the end of this year.
The commission announced yesterday that Gregory Fitch will end his 45-year career in education this year. He has led Alabama’s coordinating board for higher education since July 2006.
Fitch says he notified the commission of his retirement plans in June. Vice Chairman Randy McKinney of Gulf Shores has been tapped to lead the search committee to find a replacement director.
Alabama Commission on Higher Education Chairman Charles Ball praised Fitch for his accomplishments as director. He says Fitch guided the agency during times of budget cuts and challenging educational issues and always had students’ best interests at heart.
Before coming to Alabama, Fitch held similar posts in Missouri and Idaho. He was also the founding president of the Utah College of Applied Technology and president of three other community colleges in Nebraska, Washington and Oklahoma.