Former CBC leader to serve as interim president

The Columbia Basin College Board of Trustees hired the college’s former president Lee Thornton to lead the school while they search for a new president.

Thornton will take over on an interim basis after the current president, Rich Cummins, leaves March 30 after 27 years with the school. He served nine years as president.

Cummins was recently hired as Washington Chancellor for the online Western Governors University.

Thornton was CBC’s president from 1995 to 2008. He as continued to work as a higher education consultant.

He currently lives in Missoula, Mont.

Thornton starts in April.

CBC plans a nationwide search to find Cummins’ permanent replacement.

This story was originally published February 24, 2017 at 2:41 PM with the headline "Former CBC leader to serve as interim president."