By MATT PIKE
Missouri Western State University is getting closer to finding its new University President as the names of the finalists for the seventh president have been revealed.
The finalists will be on campus next week for in-person interviews. The interview schedule will include an open forum which will give students, faculty, staff and the public an opportunity to hear presentations and ask questions of the candidates.
“The presidential search committee is pleased to have solid finalists who know MoWest very well,” chair of the Board of Governors and the search committee Bill Grimwood says in a news release from the University. “The on-campus interview process will give our campus community and supporters an opportunity to get to know each candidate better and provide us with feedback as we consider the best fit for the University.”
The candidates are listed below along with their interview date, time and location.
- Jay Johnson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Missouri Western State University
- Monday August 17th, 1:30 p.m.- Kemper Recital Hall, Spratt Hall room 101
Jay Johnson has been the provost and vice president for academic affairs at MoWest, where he also is a tenured associate professor in the Craig School of Business, since January 2025. In addition to his service at MoWest, Johnson has served in several roles during his 22-year career that includes being an associate provost at Northwest Missouri State University, a business dean at Fontbonne University, business management department chair at North Central Missouri College, MBA program director at both Benedictine College and Friends University, and a variety of other faculty roles.
Prior to joining higher education, Johnson was a farmer in Gallatin on his family farm, which is still in operation. Johnson holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Missouri-Columbia, an MBA from William Woods University, and a BA in Business/Marketing from Truman State University.
- Lenny Klaver, President, North Central Missouri College
- Wednesdsay August 19th, 1:30 p.m.- Kemper Recital Hall, Spratt Hall room 101
Lenny Klaver began serving as President of North Central Missouri College in May of 2016. He has led the development of three consecutive comprehensive strategic plans. Under Klaver’s leadership, NCMC has expanded its academic and athletic program arrays and increased community engagement. In August 2023, the college opened a state-of-the-art satellite campus in Savannah and in January of 2026, NCMC opened a new student center. Cumulative enrollment has increased 24% in the past five years and 17% during his tenure at the college during which time NCMC also graduated its four largest classes in history.
Under his leadership and expertise, NCMC recently completed a successful capital campaign exceeding the original goal as set forth in the feasibility study. Klaver has served as a Vice President/Vice Chancellor at universities in Michigan and Wisconsin, respectively. In addition, he was a tenured faculty member at Wayne State College and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Klaver earned his doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Northern Colorado in 1994 where his dissertation on Transformative Leadership received the prestigious Graduate Dean’s Citation for Excellence award.
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