It was short. It was unanimous. And it was sweet for Ken Hush, now the 18th president of Emporia State University.
As part of a roughly 10-minute special meeting at Emporia State’s Memorial Union on Wednesday, the Kansas Board of Regents unanimously picked Hush as president.
Hush led Emporia State on an interim level since November after former president Allison Garrett resigned. He is an Emporia State graduate and a former business executive at BLI Rentals, Koch Minerals and Carbon and at Senior Commodity Company. Hush was inducted into the ESU Athletics Hall of Honor in 1995. He has also served as chair for the ESU Foundation Board of Trustees.
Hush leads Emporia State at a time when university enrollment is declining, both at ESU and other Regents schools.
Regents Chair Cheryl Harrison-Lee says the board and the search committee was looking for somebody who could connect across campus and community.
Search committee chair Greg Kossover, a teammate of Hush on the Emporia State tennis team in the 1980s, says Hush is the right man for the job.
City Manager Trey Cocking:
Unlike other presidential searches, which brought finalists to ESU for on-campus interviews and public meetings, including the one that led the Regents to Garrett, the process for selecting Hush was closed. Hush also assumes the permanent role immediately with ESU searching for a new provost, senior vice president for enrollment and other leadership positions.
10:15 am Wednesday: Kansas Board of Regents names Ken Hush as Emporia State University’s 18th president
Interim President Ken Hush now has the role of Emporia State University president on the permanent level.
The Kansas Board of Regents appointed Hush during a special meeting on Emporia State’s campus Wednesday. Hush is an Emporia State graduate and longtime leader at Koch Industries.
Regents President Cheryl Harrison-Lee says the board and the presidential search committee was looking for a leader who would connect with students, business leaders and the community.
Harrison-Lee thanked Hush for his work and perspective since he was named to the position in November. She also thanked search committee chair Greg Kossover for his work to find Emporia State’s next president.
Unlike other presidential searches, which brought finalists to ESU for on-campus interviews and public meetings, the process for selecting Hush was closed.
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