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Lees-McRae College Elects Dr. Herbert L. King, Jr. as 16th President of the 118-Year-Old Institution

President-elect King will arrive on campus having served as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Hampden-Sydney College in Hampden-Sydney, Virginia.

On January 19, 2018, the Lees-McRae College Board of Trustees elected Dr. Herbert L. King, Jr. as the 16th president in the 118-year history of the institution. King will succeed Dr. Barry M. Buxton on June 1, 2018.

“I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to serve as the next president of Lees-McRae,” King said. “I value its mission, its student centeredness and I feel at home in the natural beauty that Banner Elk provides. My family and I are eager to become part of this community, and I am grateful for the trust that the board is placing in me to lead Lees-McRae into the future.”  

President-elect King will arrive on campus having served as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Hampden-Sydney College in Hampden-Sydney, Virginia, where he was responsible for all development, alumni relations and career functions of the college.

Dr. Herbert L. King, Jr.

While at Hampden-Sydney, King achieved the third, fourth and fifth-best fundraising years in the college’s history and the best years outside of a capital campaign. His time there was also marked by the two best years of endowment gift giving as well as setting the record for unrestricted gifts to the college.

Through the generated gift income, Hampden-Sydney was able to construct the $11 million Brown Student Center and the $4 million renovation of the Viar-Christ Center for the Arts. He also increased the alumni giving percentage from 29 percent to 36 percent in one fiscal year resulting in three Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) awards.

Prior to Hampden-Sydney, King served as the Vice President for External Relations at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, and the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Ferrum College in Ferrum, Virginia.

King’s experience extends beyond the scope of higher education with time as both Executive Director and Director of Development at the Patrick Henry Boys and Girls Homes in Brookneal, Virginia, where he was tasked with creating the organization’s first strategic plan, launching comprehensive facility renovation efforts and multiple fundraising efforts.

King received his Doctor of Education in educational leadership from The University of Virginia, his Master of Education in educational administration from Lynchburg College and his Bachelor of Arts in English and history from Hampden-Sydney College.

Dr. Barry M. Buxton, 15th president of Lees-McRae College, announced his retirement on July 31, 2017. As such, the Board of Trustees began inviting nominations and applications for an innovative and visionary leader in academic, fiscal, administrative and professional matters.

McNair Tornow, Board of Trustees chairman and search committee co-chair, said “The trustees and the search committee expended a great deal of time defining the leader to lead us in the future—we found that person in Lee King. He possesses those qualities we were looking for—good communicative and collaborative skills, exceptional fundraiser and strategic planner, devotion to family and strong spiritual values. Not only does Dr. King understand the attendant challenges of the role, but he is excited about and wants specifically to be president of Lees-McRae College.”

King comes to campus with his wife Tammy and their three children, Jacob, 17; Kathryn, 14; and Aaron, 9.

For more information, please visit lmc.edu/president-elect.