Presidential Search Process Underway at Illinois Central College
East Peoria, IL (08/01/2025) — The Illinois Central College Board of Trustees has officially launched the search for the College's next president. At a special board meeting yesterday, the Board approved the hiring of R. H. Perry, a nationally recognized executive search firm with extensive experience in community college presidential searches.
Presidential searches typically take about a year and involve several phases, including stakeholder input, a nationwide candidate recruitment process, and a thorough evaluation and interview period. The Board remains on schedule to name a new president who will begin on July 1, 2026.
To support a smooth transition, the Board has appointed Bruce Budde to serve as Interim President from January 1 through June 30, 2026, after Dr. Sheila Quirk-Bailey's retirement. Budde, Executive Vice President of Administration and Finance, has been a respected and steady leader at ICC for more than 30 years and previously served as Interim President in 2015.
"Bruce Budde's long-standing commitment to Illinois Central College and his deep understanding of our operations make him a natural choice to guide us through this transitional period," said ICC Board Chair Cindy Byrd. "The Board has great confidence in Bruce's ability to lead the College as we move forward with the search process."
"I am honored to serve as Interim President and help lead Illinois Central College during this important transition," said Bruce Budde. "It's a privilege to support the work of our dedicated faculty and staff as we continue advancing student success and strengthening our impact in the community."
The Board will provide additional updates throughout the process and is committed to ensuring an inclusive and transparent approach that reflects the values and needs of the ICC community.
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Illinois Central College is a two-year community college with campuses in East Peoria, Peoria and Pekin, Illinois, providing a high-quality, affordable education to prepare students to enter the workforce or to transfer to a four-year institution. ICC is the 2020 awardee of the National Community College Charles Kennedy Equity Award from ACCT, a 2022 and 2025 EDA Good Job Challenge Institution, and the Lead College for the state of Illinois' Workforce Equity Initiative. ICC also conducts original research in agricultural fields, including water quality and soil conservation. For more information, visit icc.edu.
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