Jack Ohle Named President of ELCA's Gustavus Adolphus College

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Trustees of Gustavus Adolphus
College, St. Peter, Minn., voted April 25 to elect Jack
R. Ohle as the college's next president. He will succeed
James L. Peterson on July 1. Ohle is president of
Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, and has served in that
role for 10 years. Gustavus Adolphus and Wartburg are
two of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
"This is a great day for the college," said James
H. Gale, Washington, D.C., chair, board of trustees,
Gustavus Adolphus, according to a college news release.
"(Ohle) has strong leadership skills, broad experience
in higher education, a strong understanding of what makes
Gustavus a special place, and innovative ideas to help
move Gustavus forward as a first-class liberal arts
institution."
"I am truly grateful for the trust the presidential
search committee and the Gustavus board of trustees has
placed in me," Ohle said in the release. "I look forward
to working with an outstanding faculty, staff, student
body and Gustavus alumni to reward that trust."
"We want to congratulate Jack and his wife, Kris,
on the new opportunities they will have at Gustavus
Adolphus, while recognizing the dynamic leadership and
vision that they have brought to Wartburg," said Fred
W. Hagemann, Waverly, chair, board of regents, Wartburg
College, according to a Wartburg news release.
"The Wartburg community expresses its gratitude to
President Ohle for the unprecedented growth in enrollment
and in the endowment, academic achievements and the
rebuilding of the campus infrastructure, which occurred
under his guidance," Hagemann said.
Ohle, 60, graduated from Ohio Northern University,
Ada, Ohio, and did graduate work toward a master of
divinity degree, Hamma School of Theology, Springfield,
Ohio. He earned a master of arts degree in higher
education administration, Bowling Green State University,
Bowling Green, Ohio. Hamma is a predecessor of Trinity
Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio. Trinity is one of
eight ELCA seminaries.
Ohle was assistant to the dean of students and
resident counselor, Wittenberg University, Springfield,
Ohio, and program director, Lutheran Church in America
Camp, Mansfield, Ohio. He was a teacher and head
football coach at Riverview High School, Warsaw, Ohio,
and served as a supply pastor for the three congregations
of the Adamsville Lutheran Parish, Adamsville, Ohio.
Ohle was associate dean of students, director of
freshman counseling and assistant football coach at
Muskingham College, New Concord, Ohio, and director of
development and director of alumni and special programs,
Ohio Northern University. He served as vice president
for institutional advancement, Nebraska Wesleyan
University, Lincoln, Neb., and as senior vice president
for external affairs, secretary to the university and
vice president for institutional advancement, Drake
University, Des Moines, Iowa.
Ohle and his wife Kirsten (Kris) are the parents
of three adult sons -- Robert, John and Thomas.
-- -- --
The home page for Gustavus Adolphus College is at
http://gustavus.edu/ and that of Wartburg College is at
http://www.wartburg.edu/ on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog