Lanier Tech gets acting president

ATLANTA - The Technical College System of Georgia Wednesday appointed an acting president for Lanier Technical College, as it prepares to name a permanent president next month.

Commissioner Ron Jackson announced that Laura Elder will take the helm until a new president arrives. Elder is the school's vice president of administrative services. The college's current president, Russell Vandiver, retires this week.

Jackson has interviewed the three finalists and is expected to ask the TCSG board to approve his choice on April 4.

The finalists are Jamie Loyd, the vice president of economic development at Columbus Technical College in Columbus, Georgia; Dr. Ray Perren, the president of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College in Valdosta, Georgia; and Dr. Joanne Tolleson, the vice president of institutional effectiveness and operations at Lanier Technical College.