Dr. Michael Helmick, one of five finalists for JCC president, spoke last Thursday at the first of five public forums for the hopefuls.

“I’m only mildly intimidated by this group,” Helmick joked as he took the podium in front of a crowd of about 50. “I’ve still got the Board of Trustees to go.”

He had Googled the school many times in preparation, he added.

Helmick has been vice president for academic affairs at Western Piedmont Community College in Morganton since 2007, and has 13 years of experience in community colleges.

At the forum, he spoke about his background and vision, peppering the speech with jokes and smiles. In his remarks, Helmick stressed the role of community colleges in training the workforce. “If you want to develop a local workforce, there is no better avenue than a community college,” he said.

After introducing himself, Helmick took questions from the floor.

Most of those in the crowd were faculty or staff.

“Is there anyone here that isn’t a JCC employee?” Kay Lanier asked as she introduced Helmick. Five hands went up, including the press.

One woman asked about his plan for the next five years. Helmick responded that it would be wrong to give a precise answer so early, without complete knowledge of the school.

“I’m gong to come in and listen, then work with individuals,” he said. “It’s not my vision; it’s your vision.” He did say that he would like to see more work with machine tools and perhaps a new program in sustainable agriculture.

When asked about how the college should brand itself, Helmick said he would like to focus on biotechnology and excellence in education. He said the most-effective marketing would come from word-of-mouth and a narrowly focused, oft-repeated message.

He also said the school’s fine-arts programs, particularly its performing-arts center, enriched the county.

“I love community colleges that are the center of their community,” he said.

Western Piedmont President Dr. Jim Burnett says Helmick has proved himself a measured leader with a deep set of skills.

“An academic VP’s job is probably one of the toughest on a community campus,” Burnett said in a phone interview.

Some of Helmick’s most important work at the school has been in economic development, Burnett said. Helmick has been an ambassador to industry and put together forums for manufacturers that have helped the entire community, he added.

“He is a collaborative leader,” Burnett said. “He believes in getting input from several people, but when the time comes to make a decision, he can make a decision.”

Helmick holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial-arts education from the University of West Florida and a master’s in technology and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from East Tennessee State University.