OTC promotes exec over 4 campuses

Ozarks Technical Community College promoted longtime employee Dustin Childress to president for education centers.

Childress' promotion, effective Jan. 7, was prompted by last year’s opening of the $7.3 million OTC Republic Center, according to a news release. Following the Aug. 10 grand opening in Republic, Childress began to manage the overall operations of four campuses. The others are in Lebanon, Fort Leonard Wood and Waynesville.

Childress three years ago was named dean of education centers, working with Lebanon, Fort Leonard Wood and Waynesville campus directors. With the addition of Republic, he’ll work with campus director James Ackerman. Childress previously oversaw the operations of the OTC Lebanon Center starting in 2013.

“Dr. Childress has been a driving force at our Lebanon Center, and I know he will bring that same energy to this new role,” said Hal Higdon, OTC chancellor, in the release. “His breadth of experience, from teaching to student affairs, gives him a unique perspective on how to serve students – especially those from smaller communities.”

Childress will continue to teach life sciences courses for OTC. Prior to joining the community college, he had a two-year career as a pitcher in the New York Mets minor league system.