Hardin-Simmons' leadership changes
___By Charles Richardson
___Hardin-Simmons University
___Craig Turner, executive vice president and chief operating officer, will succeed Lanny Hall as president of Hardin-Simmons University June 1.
___The university's board of trustees unanimously approved Turner's selection in August
1999 for what they projected to be a "seamless transition" of leadership.
___Turner, who joined HSU's administration and faculty in 1992, served as vice president for academic affairs from 1992 to 1996. He became executive vice president and chief academic officer in 1996. Last June, he also became chief operating officer.
___Turner and his wife, Annette, are active members of Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in Abilene.
___Hall, who has served as HSU's president since 1991, will continue to work for the university in a fund-raising and teaching role, assuming the title of chancellor.
___Jesse Fletcher, chancellor since his retirement as president in June 199l, will become president emeritus along with Elwin Skiles.
___Hall has completed 15 years of service to three Texas Baptist universities. From 1986 to 1989, he served as executive vice president and chief academic officer at Howard Payne University in Brownwood. He then became president of Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, before moving to Hardin-Simmons in 1991.
___He arrived at the Abilene campus at a difficult economic time. The region, state and nation were suffering a downturn in the oil industry that greatly impacted the financial stability of the West Texas institution.
___Hall, who earned a Ph.D. degree in educational administration at the University of Texas after being elected to three terms in the Texas House of Representatives, accepted the challenge and immediately set to work to develop a strategic plan.
___In the subsequent years, he has led the institution to complete the Centennial Campaign and the Leadership for Tomorrow Campaign, both exceeding their goals.
___During his tenure as president, endowment has grown from $31 million to $75 million, an increase of 139 percent; total enrollment has reached record levels, and student populations have grown from 1,800 to 2,300, an increase of 28 percent; retention of freshmen has increased from 58 percent to 73 percent; graduate enrollment has increased from 130 to more than 350; five new graduate programs have been added, including the master of divinity; fund-raising campaigns have secured more than $40 million; five new campus buildings have been completed.
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