RICHMOND, Ky. (LEX 18) — Eastern Kentucky University has named Dr. David McFaddin to be its next president.
“Today is truly the culmination of everything that is good about this institution. My job is to serve. Yes, I’m expected to lead. Yes, I’m expected to be accountable, but more importantly, I’m here to support and provide for our students, for our faculty, staff and for every one of my cabinet members. I have the most amazing group of people who are dedicated to this institution in a way that I wouldn’t want to serve with anyone else,” McFaddin said. “I think you will see the best of us will come next. The best for this institution is ahead of us and EKU is in good hands because they are absolutely amazing people who will fight day and night to make sure that opportunity is not just here today, but for generations to come.”
He was recently hired as the interim president in December after Dr. Michael T. Benson stepped down from his position. McFaddin becomes the third EKU graduate to become president. Dr. Doug Whitlock and Dr. Robert Martin were the other two.
“When you think of the ideal leader for an institution and you measure David McFaddin up against that leader, and you try and overlap the two, you’ll find that Dr. McFaddin covers all the essentials of what you’re looking for in a leader, and then some,” said Board of Regents chair Lewis Diaz. “He is everything that we hope our students can become. He comes to us with experience from a Fortune 10 company and has the expertise and experience in higher education to lead EKU in an increasingly competitive market place. Just looking at the total package, it is clear to me that Dr. McFaddin gives Eastern the best shot right now to be all that it is capable of being. He also has that ‘mountain swagger’ that is representative of our traditional service region.”
