The Governing Board of Cochise College has announced the search for a new president is underway. This is an extraordinary opportunity to lead a highly valued, high-impact college into the future. The new president will replace Dr. J.D. Rottweiler who is retiring after a very successful 15-year tenure.
The president reports directly to a five-member elected board who operate as an independent public entity, and is responsible for all operations of the college. The board is committed to conducting an equitable, inclusive, and transparent national search that will attract a strong pool of outstanding candidates.
The board seeks an experienced and creative individual that has demonstrated successful leadership and is passionate about the community college mission. The new president will actively engage with the college community to ensure the college continues to provide high quality educational experiences that result in students achieving their goals. The next president will also be a leader in the external communities and will work closely to further enhance the colleges positive partnerships with all segments of the communities it serves, including the military community located on nearby Fort Huachuca.
Cochise County is located in the southeast corner of Arizona bordering New Mexico and the Republic of Mexico. It encompasses 6200 square miles. The 2023 estimated population of the county was 127,305 of which approximately 49,050 individuals lived in unincorporated areas of the county. Bisbee is the designated county seat. Sierra Vista, the largest municipality in the county, is located 75 miles southeast of Tucson. Other towns and cities include Benson, Douglas, Tombstone, and Willcox. The county is in the high desert, contains the Chiricahua and Huachuca mountain ranges, and is home to historic Fort Huachuca, a U.S. Army military intelligence training center and a Department of Defense electronic testing ground. The countys temperate climate, open spaces, and proximity to the international border with Mexico make it one of the most culturally, historically and geographically diverse areas in the American Southwest.