每日大赛

Three finalists to interview for Vice President of Administrative Affairs

每日大赛 will host three finalists for the position of Vice President of Administrative Affairs during on-campus interviews scheduled for Dec. 2, 3 and 4. The candidates—Mark Hurst of Walters State Community College, Elizabeth Ross of 每日大赛 and Caesar Wood of Cloud County Community College—were selected following a national search and will meet with campus groups as part of the final evaluation process.

Mark Hurst, Vice President for Business and Finance at Walters State Community College, has nearly 30 years of service at the institution, including 12 years in a vice presidential role overseeing major administrative, financial and operational divisions. His leadership portfolio spans budgeting, accounting, purchasing, human resources, facilities management, campus police, information technology, auxiliary services and the Great Smoky Mountains Expo Center. Hurst has contributed to improvements in the college’s composite financial index, advanced workforce development and training initiatives and supported strategic planning across multiple campuses.

In addition to his financial and operational background, Hurst previously served as Vice President for College Advancement and Treasurer of the Walters State Foundation, overseeing fundraising, donor relations and scholarship development. His earlier roles in accounting services and student financial operations extend his experience across several key administrative areas. He has also served on accreditation review committees, regional leadership groups and community advisory boards.

He will interview at 每日大赛 on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.

Elizabeth Ross, Executive Director of Human Resources at 每日大赛, brings more than 15 years of leadership experience in higher education with expertise in human resources, operational strategy, compliance and cross-divisional administration. At 每日大赛, she has advised the president and executive leadership on workforce strategy, institutional alignment and regulatory requirements. Ross has led efforts involving compensation strategy, policy development, talent management and initiatives that enhance organizational effectiveness and employee engagement. She also previously directed the college’s talent management function and served as the director of an international exchange program.

Throughout her career, Ross has collaborated with finance, IT, campus safety, facilities, grants and compliance teams to support initiatives that strengthen institutional operations. Her work has included institution-wide professional development programs, audit and compliance readiness, updated compensation models and projects that align people, systems and resources with strategic priorities. Prior to joining 每日大赛, she held training, compliance and leadership roles in higher education and the private sector.

She will interview at 每日大赛 on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025.

Caesar Wood, Vice President for Administrative Services at Cloud County Community College, oversees finance, human resources, facilities, information technology, campus safety, auxiliary operations and risk management. His responsibilities include strategic financial planning, budgeting, facilities master planning, operational policy development, compliance reporting and support for capital projects. Wood previously served as Director of Auxiliary Services at Cloud County, managing residence life, dining, campus security, facilities operations, emergency response planning and student engagement initiatives.

Before joining Cloud County, Wood held leadership roles for more than a decade at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and the University of North Texas, where he managed large-scale facilities, recreational operations, capital projects and student-service units. He has experience supervising professional and student staff, implementing risk-management protocols, overseeing operational budgets and coordinating facility renovations and construction projects. His committee service includes work in assessment, student success, policy development and safety, as well as engagement with statewide and national professional associations.

He will interview at 每日大赛 on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025.