Concord makes leadership appointments

Winnipeg

In a recent press release, Concord College announced that Harry Olfert of Winnipeg has been appointed interim president, and that David R. Dyck, also of Winnipeg, has been appointed academic dean.

Olfert will take over from James Pankratz, who will conclude his role as president after a total of nine years, first at MBBC, then its successor college, Concord College.

"Concord College put its presidential search on hold for the last several months to allow the Manitoba MB Conference post-secondary Christian review process to run its course", said Board chair Al Doerksen. "It was our view as a board that if the conference moved to adopt the proposed integration of Concord and Winkler, it would be preferable for the new board to make key leadership appointments."

Concord is continuing to move down the path of federation with Canadian Mennonite Bible College and Menno Simons College.

After teaching school for 19 years, Olfert moved to MBBC as business administrator for seven years. Several significant campus building and development projects were undertaken during this period. After a brief stint in business, he was self-employed as a development/fundraising consultant. Most recently, he has been acting as the Canadian Director of Development for Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary. Olfert has been active in a variety of inter-Mennonite endeavours, including that of chair of the Mennonite World Conference Assembly 13 when it met in Winnipeg in 1990.

David R. Dyck retired as a professor from University of Winnipeg in 1996. His Ph.D. is in history of science; this was also the area of teaching at the university, and more recently, also at Concord College. During his university years, he held a number of administrative roles including that of Associate Dean of Arts and Science, and Special Assistant to the President. Dyck will take over from Gerry Ediger who has been acting as dean during the last school year; Ediger has indicated his preference to return to a teaching role at the end of the current school year.

Olfert is a member of McIvor Avenue MB Church; Dyck is a member of River East MB Church. Both have been active in a number of congregational and conference roles.

from a Concord College release

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