Henning confirms resignation from MHC

By Collin Gallant on March 3, 2018.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com @CollinGallant

Outgoing Medicine Hat College president Denise Henning says she is not “retiring” but will leave the local institution later this month to “pursue other opportunities and to attend to family matters.”

The statement from Henning comes the day after members of the college’s board confirmed Henning would step down as president about four years after she took the top job.

“It has been an honour to serve Medicine Hat College,” she wrote in a statement to the News on Friday. “During my tenure here, there have been major accomplishments and amazing partnerships developed that have connected the college meaningfully to the province, the communities we serve, and beyond.”

She adds that she and her husband John will miss the Medicine Hat and college communities.

Board chair Graham Kelly confirmed rumours of Henning’s departure on Thursday, leaving it up to her to discuss future plans.

Henning was also part on behalf of the college of a number of economic diversification efforts.

Privately, she was recently announced as a board member with the Thrive group, which aims to reduce poverty in the city. That effort was unveiled last year to co-ordinate charity and social work as an extension of the city’s goal to reduce homelessness.

She is also a board member of the Medalta Historic Clay District and represented the college on several economic development initiatives put forth by the City of Medicine Hat.

She was named president in May 2014, coming from a similar position at Northwest Community College in Terrace, B.C., near Prince Rupert.

Kelly has said the search for a new president will begin soon. In the meantime, duties of the top position would be likely be handled on an interim basis by a current member of the senior executive team, made up of administrators and vice-presidents.

A headline in the News on Friday suggested the board of governors could assume control, as happened after the 2013 departure of former president Ralph Weekes.

That is not the case, stated Kelly, adding the board will meet soon to discuss the succession plan.

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