Rock-Valley-College-Board-of-Trustees-Elects-New-Officers.php

Rock Valley Board of Trustees Elects New Officers

• Board
• 04/25/2024

The Rock Valley College (RVC) Board of Trustees has announced the election of new officers to lead the board for the upcoming year. At a reorganization meeting on April 23, 2023, the Board voted to appoint Bob Trojan as Chair, Gloria Cudia as Vice Chair, and Richard Kennedy as Secretary.

 

Bob Trojan, who previously served as Secretary of the board, will assume the role of Board Chair. With a strong background in manufacturing and community leadership, Trojan brings a wealth of experience to his new position. He was first elected to the board in April 2015 and was appointed to fill a two-year unexpired term in 2021. In 2023, Trojan was elected for a six-year term. The unanimous vote to place Trojan in the position of Board Chair demonstrates the Board's confidence in his leadership abilities.

"I am honored to take over as Chair of Rock Valley College," said Trojan. "In the next several years, we have some big projects going forward: the downtown campus, the rebuilding of the Classroom II building with a black box theater, and improvements to the Health Sciences Center with the new elevator. We have to get it done within budget over the next two or three years."

Gloria Cudia, who previously served as Board Chair since January 2023, has been elected as Vice Chair of the board. Cudia, elected to a six-year term in 2019, brings a wealth of experience in marketing and administration to her roles. With extensive community activism experience, Cudia brought experience as chair and president of other organizations, including Rockford Public Schools. Her dedication to serving students and promoting equity and inclusion will be instrumental in guiding the board's decisions in the coming year.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Vice Chair and to continue advocating for the needs of our students and community," said Cudia. "I have discovered that we have the most amazing faculty and staff and committed trustees. Together, we have accomplished so much, and we are in the process of implementing more changes that will transform lives in our community. I remain committed to ensuring that Rock Valley College remains a leader in providing accessible, high-quality education to all."

Richard Kennedy has been elected to serve as Board Secretary. Kennedy, appointed in February 2023 to fill a two-year unexpired term, brings a strong background in law enforcement and crisis management to the role. As Secretary, Kennedy will play a key role in ensuring transparency and accountability in Board proceedings.

"I’ve been on the RVC Board of Trustees for less than a year. It was a privilege to be asked by Gloria to apply for the open seat last year, and I was elated to be appointed to the Board. It’s a tremendous honor to follow in the footsteps of Mr. Trojan,” said Kennedy.

Outgoing Chair Cudia is optimistic about the future of RVC. “Together, we are all doing whatever is best for RVC and our community with our own capacities, and it has been extremely beneficial to keep RVC moving forward.”

The newly elected officers will serve one-year terms, during which they will work closely with college leadership to address the challenges and opportunities facing Rock Valley College. Their dedication and leadership will be instrumental in guiding Rock Valley College toward continued success and excellence in education.