The Board of Higher Education has named former Lieutenant Governor Brent Sanford as the interim President at Bismarck State College.
Former president Doug Jensen stepped down, citing personal and health issues.
This motion came from board member Kevin Black, after the Board met in executive session.
"We are incredibly fortunate to have someone like Brent Sanford join the University System as a president," Black said. "He's thoughtful, he's intelligent, and more importantly, he's trusted across the state. We're grateful that he would accept this position, and we're excited for him to lead the institution."
Board president Tim Mihalick and chancellor Mark Hagerott will negotiate contract terms with Sanford. Sanford will serve until a permanent president is found.
Here is the news release sent after the decision:
The State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) has appointed Brent Sanford, former North Dakota lieutenant governor, as the interim president of Bismarck State College (BSC) beginning Jan. 9, 2025. Dr. Dan Leingang has been serving as the acting president of BSC since Jan. 2 after the departure of former President Doug Jensen. Leingang is currently the BSC vice president for academic affairs, and he has chosen to remain in that position. The SBHE will now begin the process to search for the permanent presidential position.
SBHE Chair Tim Mihalick said, “Our highest priority remains prioritizing the success of students at Bismarck State College and to continue to ensure a smooth transition of leadership. Our goal is to sustain the work that has been done to position BSC as a polytechnic institution. Brent Sanford has leadership experience in business and state government and can ensure that connection between workforce and BSC remains strong and continues to serve both BSC students and the community.”
Sanford graduated from the University of North Dakota with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1994. He worked for Eide Bailly from 1994 through 2002, and then became the chief financial officer of Transwest Trucks in Colorado. He moved back to Watford City, North Dakota, in 2004, taking over his family-run car dealership. He was elected to the Watford City Council in 2006 and was elected mayor in 2010. Sanford served as lieutenant governor for the first six years of former Gov. Doug Burgum’s two-term tenure. After leaving state government, Sanford started working as a consultant with Minnkota Power Cooperative on its Project Tundra — a venture to capture and store carbon beneath North Dakota soil — and also with the North Dakota Petroleum Council to recruit immigrants to work in the North Dakota oil industry.
Most recently, Sanford has been working with the BSC Office of Workforce and Economic Development on workforce-related initiatives to create a robust workforce pipeline from higher education to industry in high-demand and high-priority occupations.
