Welcome from Richard Gustafson, interim Chancellor of the Community College System of NH

Shortly after his retirement from the position of President of Southern New Hampshire University, Gustafson was asked to serve as interim President of the NH Community Technical College-Manchester. Gustafson then continued his association with the NHCTC System through his involvement in special projects for the System's Board of Trustees. Upon the retirement of the NHCTCS Commissioner in 2007, Gustafson was again asked to lend his expertise to the system by serving as Interim Commissioner. [His title changed to Chancellor upon passage of legislation renaming the System the Community College System of New Hampshire]

Gustafson is a graduate of Boston University (1963) where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and Chemistry, and a Master of Education Degree in Science Education in 1964. He earned an additional Masters degree in Teaching English as a Second Language in from Notre Dame College in 1997. He completed a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Management and Educational Research with Computer Programming and Statistics from the University of Connecticut in 1970. Dr. Gustafson is also a graduate of the Harvard Institute for Educational Management (1982) and was a Fulbright Senior Research Fellow in Thailand (1999).

In 1987, Dr. Gustafson was appointed as the fourth President of New Hampshire College in Manchester, New Hampshire. He served in that position for 16 years and transformed the small business college into Southern New Hampshire University. The University now awards degrees at the doctoral level and has schools of business, education, community economic development, liberal arts and hospitality. The University serves more than 9000 traditional and adult students, offering day, evening, weekend and internet based programs in Manchester and on several satellite campuses. He continues to have special responsibilities as President Emeritus of the University.

Dr. Gustafson has served in a leadership capacity on the boards of the New Hampshire College and University Council, the New Hampshire Postsecondary Education Commission, the New Hampshire Tuition Savings Plan Commission, the United Way of Greater Manchester, the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, the Federated Arts of Greater Manchester and the professional organizations of the Association of Collegiate business Schools and Programs International Division and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

Currently Dr. Gustafson serves as vice chair of the Board of Trustees of the Elliot Health System; as secretary of the Board of Directors of AAA of Northern New England; as vice chair of the Board of Trustees of Hellenic American University; and as a member of the Boards of the Valley Cemetery.

Dr. Gustafson was selected as Leader for the 21st Century by Business New Hampshire Magazine, was a recipient of the Granite State Award from Keene State College in 2000 and was named Manchester's Citizen of the Year in 2003.