We are thrilled to provide you with the exciting news that we have selected our next President for TWU.
Dr. Mark Husbands is a great leader ideally suited to build upon the institutional foundation laid by President Bob Kuhn and his predecessors. I am confident that our finding and recruiting Mark has been led by God, and Mark and his wife Becky feel equally confident of their call from God to undertake this mission. We share the desire to move forward only with God’s blessing.
Our search committee was diligently chaired by Fred Fleming, professionally advised and resourced by CarterBaldwin Executive Search, and comprised the entire Board of Governors including constituency members representing the faculty association, senate, staff, student government, alumni and the ELT. This team put in an extraordinary effort, culminating in the unanimous decision to call our most compelling candidate by every measure. He responded with an enthusiastic “YES” to the role, and to embracing the mission and vision of TWU.
Dr. Mark Husbands is a distinguished academic, a respected theologian and an experienced administrator, and he and his wonderful wife are both proud Canadians. They are both friendly, outgoing, gracious and hospitable, as confirmed by every background interview and reference check and all of our interactions. Mark will be a respected advocate for TWU in academic circles and an articulate spokesperson for TWU in faith conversations. He has had excellent experience and exposure in his prior employment history with alumni relations and successful fundraising, donor relations and business development.
We wish we could have introduced Dr. Husbands to many of the important internal constituencies within the University during the hiring process, and some of you specifically asked for that opportunity. But you must appreciate that we held discussions with numerous candidates, and each of them would have been entitled to the same opportunities for engagement—yet none of them were free to disclose their candidacy in deference to their current roles at other institutions, which would have been completely disrupted by any rumour of a contemplated departure. Now that we and Dr. Husbands’ current employer are simultaneously announcing his appointment today, we will begin work on creating opportunities to meet him in person as soon as schedules and logistics allow.
In the meantime, please continue to fully support President Kuhn, who has much he wants and needs to accomplish before he completes his term and God is still using him in a powerful way. Please also be in prayer for Dr. Husbands as he completes his important work at Northwestern College and prepares to make the transition to TWU next summer.
Thank you all for your contributions to TWU, and your role in our mission and calling to inspire the hearts and minds of students.
Sincerely,
Lorne H. Jacobson
Chair, Board of Governors