James R. Bohland named interim vice president and executive director for National Capital Region Operations
Senior Vice President and Provost Mark McNamee has announced the appointment of Professor Emeritus James R. Bohland as interim vice president and executive director for National Capital Region Operations, effective July 1.
Donald J. Leo, vice president and executive director of Virginia Tech National Capital Region Operations since January 2012, recently announced that he will step down from this position June 30 to become dean of the recently established College of Engineering at the University of Georgia.
Bohland held the position of vice president and executive director in the National Capital Region from 2002 until 2011, before retiring in 2012. He will serve in an interim capacity while a national search is conducted to fill the position.
“Jim’s prior experience and proven leadership will be a great asset to us during the transition process,” McNamee said.
The search for the next vice president and executive director of National Capital Region Operations is underway with the goal of filling the position by Jan.1, 2014. Information on the progress of the search will be published in Virginia Tech News as it is available.
During his tenure as vice president and executive director of Virginia Tech National Capital Region Operations, Leo worked with the university’s president and provost to develop and implement new strategic directions for Virginia Tech in the National Capital Region.
“Don is a very talented and accomplished individual and the University of Georgia is very fortunate to have him as the founding dean for its new engineering college,” said McNamee. “He has served Virginia Tech well in various roles and we wish him great success.”
A professor of mechanical engineering, Leo has been at Virginia Tech since 1998, serving as associate vice president for research in the National Capital Region from June 2011 to January 2012, and as the associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Engineering from 2007 to 2011. During that time, Leo began a research and development partnership with Rolls Royce and other companies through the founding of the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing, was the lead at Virginia Tech for creation of the Commonwealth Center for Aerospace Propulsion Systems, and oversaw several initiatives in research and graduate studies for the College of Engineering.
