Finalists Named for Presidency of Bemidji State, Northwest Technical College

The finalists for the presidency of Bemidji State University (BSU) and Northwest Technical College (NTC) have been named by the Minnesota State system. The candidate line-up includes Allen Bedford, John Hoffman, Darrell Kruger, and Karla Leeper.

A search advisory committee, chaired by president of the Metropolitan State University Ginny Arthur, was comprised of students, faculty and community leaders and recommended the finalists. All candidates are scheduled to visit the Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College campuses as part of the selection process.

Candidates will visit the college campuses between February 14-17. This visitation will provide an opportunity for students, faculty and community members to meet each candidate and give feedback.

Allen Bedford will visit Northwest Technical College on February 16 and BSU on February 17. Serving as provost and vice president of Bemidji State University since 2020, Bedford’s resume highlights his career in higher learning since 1995.

John Hoffman will visit BSU on February 16 and Northwest Technical College on February 17. Hoffman has served as the acting vice chancellor at the University of Minnesota-Crookston since 2021. Previously from California, Hoffman has worked at different institutions since 1995.

Darrell Kruger will visit Northwest Technical College on February 14 and BSU on February 15. Kruger most recently served at Appalachian State University in North Carolina as provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs from 2015 to 2020. He was also the special assistant to the chancellor in 2020 and a full-time professor. Kruger has worked in higher education since 1994.

Karla Leeper will visit BSU on February 14 and Northwest Technical College on February 15. Since 2018 Leeper served at Augusta University/Augusta University Health as executive vice president for operations. Leeper has held other positions at institutions since 1999.

With the “shared service” model each school conducts, a single president will service both institutions while sharing certain administrative functions.

The Board of Trustees of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities will consider Chancellor Devinder Malhotra’s pick at the March 16 meeting. The new president’s expected start date is July 1, 2022.