MCCOOK, NE – A member of the Northeast Community College Board of Governors has earned a distinguished honor from the Nebraska Community College Association (NCCA). Steve Anderson, of Concord, was presented with the NCCA’s 2017 Governor’s Award during the NCCA’s annual meeting recently in McCook. The award is presented annually to one board member from five of the state’s community college areas.
Dr. Michael Chipps, president of Northeast Community College, said Anderson has provided outstanding leadership during his board service.
“Mr. Anderson brings a knowledge and wisdom to each board meeting that are based on his working experience in agriculture and in business. He is a dedicated member who is consistent in his support of seeing our students succeed.”
Anderson was initially appointed to a District III position on the Board of Governors in April 1997, and was formally elected to the board in 1998. He was reelected to the seat in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014. In his time on the Board of Governors, Anderson served as chairperson in 2004 and 2012, vice chair in 2003 and 2011 and secretary in 2002, 2010, and 2017. During his tenure, he has also served as chairperson of several board committees; most recently as chair of the Finance Committee in 2017.
In addition, Anderson has served on the NCCA Board of Directors for many years and served as board chair in 2016 during time of transition as the former NCCA executive director retired while a new executive director was appointed.
In accepting the Governor’s Award, Anderson said, “All (community college) trustees have a passion in seeing our students succeed. My passion for this work goes back to my days as a student at Central Community College. Although I attended only one-year and transferred to the university, I was still considered a success. That time in community college allowed me to get acclimated to a college setting and then go on to be successful at the University of Nebraska.”
Anderson cites the work that he and the board have seen taken place at Northeast since Chipps’ hiring in 2012, and moving the College in a direction that is unlike in any other in the institution’s history.
Guided by a comprehensive, five-year strategic plan, Anderson has been involved in several high priority initiatives including applied research in agriculture and water, a new economic development initiative focused on technology and the opening of several new facilities on the College’s main campus and a new extended campus in O’Neill, and many other large and small initiatives dedicated to providing a globally competitive workforce. This work was confirmed in 2017, as Northeast was named as one of ten finalists for the 2017 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s preeminent recognition of high achievement and performance among the more than 1,100 community colleges in America.
Anderson owns and operates an agricultural-based business in his community and is actively engaged in farming, which consists of grain and livestock production. He is past chairperson of the Nebraska Bankers Association (NBA) Agriculture Committee and the NBA’s Water Policy Task Force. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Security National Bank in Allen, Coleridge, Hartington, Laurel and Osmond. Anderson has also served on the Northeast Community College Foundation Board of Directors and its Finance Committee. In addition, he has served as president of the board of the Laurel Chamber Community Club, Laurel Development Corporation, and has held several positions on the Church Council at Concordia Lutheran Church in his hometown of Concord.
--###--
PHOTO CUTLINE
Greg Adams, executive director of the Nebraska Community College Association (NCCA), presents Steve Anderson with the 2017 Governor’s Award during the NCCA Annual Conference held recently in McCook. Anderson, of Concord, is a member of the Northeast Community College Board of Governors.