National Organization Presents CEO Award to ECC President

Dr. Deborah Lamm, president of Edgecombe Community College, received the 2017 Southern Regional CEO Award from the Association of Community College Trustees during its annual conference in September. Shown with her are Bakari Lee (left), past chair of ACCT, and Noah Brown, president and CEO of ACCT.

The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) presented Dr. Deborah Lamm, president of Edgecombe Community College, with the 2017 Southern Regional Chief Executive Officer Award during its recent annual conference.

Based in Washington, DC, the ACCT annually recognizes outstanding leaders in each of its five regions.

The ACCT notified Dr. Lamm in August that she had won the CEO Award, but the actual award was presented during the ACCT conference held September 25-28 in Las Vegas.

The CEO Award is based on the nominee’s impact on innovative programming at the institution, service to two-year postsecondary education, recognition of leadership, commitment to a collegial learning environment, and published professional articles.

“I am deeply humbled by this recognition,” Dr. Lamm says. “To be recognized by those who govern community colleges is a privilege and honor that I never imagined.

“I am equally grateful that this award allows Edgecombe Community College and the work of community colleges in North Carolina to be showcased at the national level.”

“Dr. Lamm has always been a pioneer and innovative force within our 58-college System,” notes Jennifer Haygood, acting president of the North Carolina Community College System. “While we are not surprised that she won, we congratulate her on receiving the 2017 Southern Regional CEO Award. The System is proud to have Dr. Lamm as part of our team.”

Dr. Lamm is the eighth North Carolinian to win the award, but she is the only North Carolina president from a small- to medium-size community college to have won.

A 38-year veteran of the North Carolina Community College System, she began her current post as president of Edgecombe Community College in 2004.

Dr. Lamm has established pioneering programs and unique partnerships at ECC, improving the standard and level of effectiveness of higher education in Edgecombe County. Among these are the EDGE Scholarship Program, which fully funds the education of qualified students; Get An Edge Up, a workforce preparedness initiative that utilizes the industry-standard WorkKeys assessment; and Student Success Centers on each campus.

She led the design and construction of the Biotechnology and Medical Simulation Center, which is unique in its innovative approach to healthcare education through the use of patient simulators in a simulated hospital environment. Also, she is leading the design and construction of the new Center for Innovation, which will be a hub for workforce training in advanced manufacturing.

A leader among North Carolina educators, Dr. Lamm served as president of the NC Association of Community College Presidents for the 2016-2017 term. In this role, among other initiatives she created Community College Day in the NC General Assembly.