Olds College Welcomes New President

Leona Staples, Chair, Olds College Board of Governors, announced today the appointment of Dr. Ben Cecil as the new President of the College. 

“I am very pleased to announce that Dr. Ben Cecil will serve as the 14th President of Olds College of Agriculture & Technology,” comments Leona Staples, Chair, Olds College Board of Governors. “Dr. Cecil  brings a depth of knowledge and experience from the Canadian post-secondary sector. He believes in bringing academic dreams to life. From innovation in the classroom, to helping build the success stories of students, Dr. Cecil has a track record of finding and promoting opportunities for students, faculty teams, and industry partners. Dr. Cecil’s student-centric, equity-informed leadership approach will be a wonderful addition to the College team.”

Most recently, Dr. Cecil served as Vice-President, Academic at triOS/Eastern College. Prior to that he was the Provost & Vice-President, Academic and Students at Langara College, the Associate Vice-President, Academic, at Fanshawe College and the CEO for their Research Venture. Cecil has also held Dean roles with Niagara College, and academic administrative roles at the University of Regina.

“It is an incredible honour and privilege to be given the opportunity to lead Canada’s top agriculture College. I am grateful to the Search Committee and the Board of Governors for the confidence they have placed in me to be the next President,” comments Cecil. “Olds College is uniquely positioned to leverage its innovative and entrepreneurial culture to train the next generation of agricultural leaders who will deploy new technologies, optimize agricultural output, and develop transformative practices to create a better world through an exceptionally talented and dedicated team of faculty and staff.  In a time when agriculture education is needed more than ever, I am excited to lead this great institution in service to our students, our College, and our communities.”

Cecil earned his Ph.D. from the University of Western Ontario, specializing in financial and corporate geography with additional specializations in co-operative business behaviour and technology partnerships.  As an award-winning teacher and innovation leader in Canada, Dr. Cecil brings a unique perspective of academic and entrepreneurial experiences to his new role as President of Olds College. 

Dr. Cecil succeeds Stuart Cullum, who has served as President from 2017 to 2022. Dr. Cecil will assume the role of President on January 16, 2023. Dr. Cecil joins the Olds community with his wife, Lynn. They have two adult children.