JWCC Foundation Board Hosting a Dinner Honoring Retiring President Michael Elbe
The JWCC Foundation Board will host an evening to honor retiring President Michael L. Elbe on Thursday, December 1, starting at 5:15 p.m. with a social hour with dinner and a program to follow. The event is being held at the Quincy Country Club. All are welcome. Reservations are $50 per person. To purchase tickets please contact the JWCC Advancement Office at 217-641-4105 or online at https://jwccfoundation.org/give-now/ by November 25, 2022.
After a remarkable 36 years of coaching, teaching, administration and service in higher education, President Michael Elbe of John Wood Community College announced early this year his plans to retire from the Illinois Community College System and transition out of his position at the College effective December 31, 2022. Elbe assumed the Office of the President in 2014.
During President Elbe’s tenure, JWCC has been recognized for its trailblazing leadership across a wide range of key student success areas. These include working with a strategic focus collaboratively to create innovative and relevant academic and training programs with regional business leaders in the Tri-State area to support the workforce for today’s needs and tomorrow’s opportunities.
Elbe leaves a legacy of commitment and achievement. JWCC is fiscally strong and positioned well for new leadership to take the helm. The College opened a new Agricultural Sciences Complex in Baylis this fall, the expansion project at the JWCC Workforce Development Center is under way and JWCC’s 50th Anniversary will be celebrated in 2023-24.
Elbe’s community involvement has included serving on numerous boards, including the Chair of the Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the Great River Economic Development Foundation, President of the United Way of Adams County, the Workforce Innovation Board, Tri-State Development Summit, Leader of the Adams County Together Task Force during COVID, Executive member of the Lower Illinois River Valley Rural Prosperity Initiative, and Presidential representative for the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
A native of Camp Point, Elbe earned an Educational Specialist in Administration (Ed.S.) in December of 2013. He received a Master of Science in Education from the University of South Alabama (M.Ed.) and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Quincy University with a K-12 state of Illinois teaching certificate. On May 14, 2022, Elbe was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Education for his years of service to the educational community from Culver-Stockton College. He is married to Gerri Elbe, and they have three adult children and two grandchildren.
