President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Tuesday that Dr. Bruce C. Kusch will become the 13th president of the 130-year-old LDS Business College. The announcement was made at the college’s weekly devotional in the Conference Center on Temple Square.
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"After prayerful consideration, the Board of Trustees has chosen an individual to serve as the new president of LDS Business College who will continue to build upon the solid foundation of this institution," said President Uchtdorf.
The new president will replace J. Lawrence Richards, who has completed eight years as president and 15 years teaching at the college. Dr. Kusch is currently serving as the college’s chief academic officer, with responsibility for faculty and academic programs. He will assume his new responsibilities on April 17, 2017, with an inauguration later in the year.
"Just by seeing his background, you will see how the Church in these wonderful and exciting times will move into areas which maybe 10 to 20 years ago, no one would have thought of as possible," added President Uchtdorf, who was joined by Elder Kim B. Clark, Church Commissioner of Education.
“I’m honored, humbled and excited for the opportunity to continue working with faculty, staff and students at LDS Business College,” Dr. Kusch said. “Following President Richards’s excellent leadership, we will continue on the path of preparing students to become all the Lord needs them to be as His disciples. It’s a great privilege to be part of the Church Educational System and this great work.”
“Having worked with Bruce for the past year, I have all the confidence in the world that the college will move forward in marvelous ways under his leadership,” President Richards said.
LDS Business College was founded in 1886 and is home to 2,200 students from 60 countries and all 50 U.S. states. The college promotes a skills-based, market-driven education, and it awards two-year associate degrees or one-year certificates. The college also trains hundreds of nontraditional students with shorter, online courses. Nearly 90 percent of students obtain a job in their field of training within 90 days of graduation.