The Board of Trustees at Johnston Community College has selected one current community college president from North Carolina, four vice presidents at North Carolina community colleges, and one provost from a community college in Virginia as the finalists for its next president.

The person selected will take over for Dr. Don Reichard, JCC's president since 1999 who is retiring in June. Each candidate has a separate interview date which will also include his appearance at a community forum at the Workforce Development Center in Clayton from 1 until 2:15 p.m. and on the main campus in Smithfield from 3 until 4 p.m. to meet students, faculty and staff, and citizens.

"We are very pleased with the quality of the finalists and the board would like to thank the 21 fine citizens from across Johnston County who served on the screening committee," said Lyn Austin, trustee chair. "They worked hard for two months dedicating both their time and their expertise to select the six candidates for the board to interview."

"We now look forward to the final process in choosing our new president," she added. "It is our hope that anyone who is interested in meeting the candidates will come to either the Workforce Development Center from 1 to 2:15 or the Smithfield campus from 3 till 4. There will be an opportunity for comments about the candidates to be sent directly to our consultant."

The finalists are:

• Dr. Walter C. Barlett, vice president of technical programs at Caldwell Community and Technical College since 2005. He has 23 years of community college experience, previously serving as a division director at Mitchell Community College and as a program director and instructor at Durham Technical Community College. He received a bachelor's degree in science/industrial technology from Southern Illinois University and a master's in industrial engineering from N.C. State University. He earned his Ph.D. in curriculum and teaching from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

• Dr. James Timothy Brewer, vice president for instruction at Mitchell Community College in Statesville since 2005. He has 16 years of community college experience in North Carolina, previously serving as executive director of the State Board of Community Colleges, executive assistant to the president of the North Carolina Community College System, and an instructor at Wayne Community College. He earned a bachelor's degree in recreation administration from Mars Hill College in 1989, a master's in recreation resources from N.C. State University in 1992, and a doctorate in higher education administration from N.C. State in 2003.

• Dr. Michael S. Helmick, vice president for academic affairs at Western Piedmont Community College in Morganton since 2007. He has 13 years of experience at community colleges in Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina. His former positions include vice president for academic affairs at Technical College of the Lowcountry in Beaufort, S.C. and dean of technical education at Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tenn. He holds an associate of arts degree, a bachelor's in industrial arts education from the University of West Florida, and a master's in technology and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from East Tennessee State University.

• Dr. David Neal Johnson, provost of the John H. Daniel campus at Southside Virginia Community College in Keysville, Va. since 2007. He has 15 years of experience at various community colleges in Virginia. He previously served as the interim vice president of instruction and student development and the director/dean of continuing education and workforce development at Wytheville Community College. He received a bachelor's in music education from Campbell University in 1979, a master's in divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1984, and a doctorate in education from N.C. State in 1991.

• Dr. Mark O. Kinlaw, vice president for instruction and support services at Robeson Community College in Lumberton since 2001. He has been with the community college since 1988, previously serving as chair of the early childhood and social science programs and director of planning and research. He earned a bachelor's in history from Wake Forest University in 1983, a master's in educational administration and supervision from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 1989, and a doctorate in adult and community college education from N.C. State in 1998.

• Dr. Lawrence L. Rouse, president of James Sprunt Community College in Kenansville since 2005. He has 26 years of experience at community colleges in North Carolina and South Carolina, previously serving as the dean of student services at JCC and the associate vice president for enrollment management/dean of student affairs at Central Carolina Technical College in Sumter, S.C. He earned a bachelor's in sociology from Voorhees College in 1978, a master's in education from the University of South Carolina in 1992, and a doctorate in adult and community college education from N.C. State in 1998.

The forum schedule is as follows:
• Dr. Mark Kinlaw, Wednesday, April 29
• Dr. Michael Helmick, Thursday April 30
• Dr. James "Tim" Brewer, Monday, May 4
• Dr. Lawrence Rouse, Tuesday, May 5
• Dr. Walter Bartlett, Wednesday, May 6
• Dr. David Johnson, Thursday, May 7

The board is scheduled to announce the new president in June.