The School of Trades and Technology at Lakeland College has a new dean. Effective July 1st, Dave King will officially take on the role. King became a faculty member in 2006, after over 20 years of experience in the heavy equipment and automotive industry. King was also a member of Lakeland’s safety committee, and was involved in the annual ‘Try-A-Trade’ Expo, and regional skills competition. He will replace current dean, Bert Samuelson, who will retire at the end of June.
“It’s been quite a year; I started as an instructor and I am ending the year as the dean. I am excited to have the opportunity to take our school forward. We have great staff, top-notch instructors and excellent programming,” says King, Class of ‘93. “I am going to carry on with what our current dean has brought to the school. It’s been a well-run school up to this point and I am going to continue on with that.”
“One of my biggest goals is bringing unification to our school and to balance everything,” he says. “We have nine trades and two other programs (street rod technologies and interior design technology), plus all of our continuing education programs. They are all important to the college and our students.”
He says he will take the summer to familiarize himself thoroughly with each trade and program, and make plans with his team.