Murphy Named New TTC Director

November 3, 2005

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Board of Regents Monday selected Scott County Mayor Dwight Murphy to fill the director’s post at the Oneida/Huntsville Tennessee Technology Center.

Murphy will replace Arvis Blakeley, who recently retired. Norina Litton will serve as interim director until Murphy assumes the post on January 1, 2006.

The Board of Regents met via conference call on Monday afternoon to act on the recommendation to appoint Murphy, which was made by Dr. Charles W. Manning, chancellor of the Board of Regents.

Manning told the board that the selection process for a technology center director is conducted somewhat differently than the search for college presidents. He said that Regents Frank Barnett and Judy Gooch interviewed all candidates for the position. The process typically proceeds with “one or two candidates, sometimes more or less,” being forwarded to Manning, the chancellor informed the board, at which point he interviews the candidates and passes a recommendation back to the board.

Manning called Murphy’s recommendation a “uniform recommendation.”

Gooch agreed, stating that “all three candidates (for the position) were well-qualified, but Murphy was the overwhelming choice of the local people who participated in the interviews.”

James King, vice-chancellor of vocational-technical education in Tennessee, told the board that of the various persons who participated in the interview process — which included faculty and staff at the Oneida/Huntsville technology center, as well as representatives from the local industrial community — “it was near unanimous that Dwight Murphy was the choice.

“(Murphy) comes to us with an education background but with a strong community background with a huge impact on industrial and economic development (in Scott County),” King said.

The recommendation passed by an unanimous vote by the board.

Joining the call after the board’s decision was made, Murphy told the regents that he looks forward to his work with the center.

“I’m excited and I hope your trust is well-placed,” Murphy said. “We want to be the best technology center in the state and we want to work toward that goal.

“I’m excited after a few years to get back into education,” he added. “I think it’ll be fun and I’ll enjoy doing it.”

In answer to a question from Regent Bob Thomas, King said that Murphy will resign his post as county mayor to assume his duties at the technology center. Murphy’s current term as county mayor ends in August 2006. Murphy has served two stints as county mayor. His second tenure began in 1998. He was reelected in 2002.

newsroom@ihoneida.com

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