Berry College alumnus named president of King College

Alexander Whitaker, Berry College's chief of staff, has accepted an offer to be president at King College, a Presbyterian doctoral-level comprehensive university, beginning in August.

Warren Payne, chair of the King College Board of Trustees, said Whitaker was chosen as the "top candidate in an unbelievably qualified pool of applicants."

The second of Berry's senior leaders to be chosen for president roles this year (Provost Kathy Richardson will assume the presidency at Westminster College in Pennsylvania in July), Whitaker makes the move with an impressive resume. He returned to service at Berry College, his alma mater, a decade ago after a 25-year career in the Navy. He has since worked in the oversight of public relations, religious life and historic assets for the college.

He has held positions as vice president of major gifts, worked in fundraising as chief of staff, and been an advocate for education with a "deep understanding of how the college operates," according to Berry College President Steve Briggs.

Briggs said Whitaker's breadth of experience, "eye for strategy, and ability to analyze challenging issues will serve King University well in the years to come."

Whitaker is the only Berry College alumnus to serve as a university president.