Dr. Jack Huck, who retired June 30 as president of Southeast Community College, has been chosen as the recipient of the 2014 Western Region Chief Executive Officer Award presented by the Association of Community College Trustees.

The award will be presented at the Oct. 24 Regional Awards Luncheon during the 45th Annual ACCT Leadership Congress in Chicago. Huck is the sole nominee from the Western Region for the prestigious Marie Y. Martin Chief Executive Officer Award that will be presented at the Annual Awards Gala that evening. All regional award winners will be recognized at the Gala.

Huck, who is now executive director of the SCC Educational Foundation, said he was surprised to be selected for the Western Region award.

“Our SCC Board of Governors and the College as a whole has a long-standing tradition of support and involvement with ACCT,” Huck said. “I’m very appreciative of this award. I consider this an honor for me and the College that I had the privilege to lead for the past 20 years.”

Kathy Boellstorff, chairperson of SCC’s Board of Governors, nominated Huck on behalf of the Board. In her nomination letter, Boellstorff said, “As chief executive officer of SCC, Dr. Jack J. Huck has created numerous legacies, including his relentless support for students and their success and as a conscientious steward of tax dollars. After 39 years of service to SCC, the last 20 as president and CEO, Dr. Huck is leaving the College in a tremendous positive condition on so many levels.”

She went on to say, “Dr. Huck is a Board’s dream president. Since taking over as CEO in 1994, he has instilled a culture of student-centeredness and accountability to constituents throughout the district, all the while elevating the College’s outstanding reputation and position among schools across the nation.”

Boellstorff cited numerous accomplishments at SCC under Huck’s watch, including the implementation of numerous new programs, the collaboration with Nelnet and Union Bank & Trust to create the Learn to Dream Scholarship, and the partnership with Lincoln Public Schools on The Career Academy. Also, the College’s employment/transfer rate averaged 93 percent throughout Huck’s tenure as president.

“Dr. Huck considers it a privilege to have served SCC for all these years, but it truly has been our privilege, as a Board, to work collaboratively in an environment built on trust, accountability and respect,” Boellstorff wrote. “In honor and recognition of his years of leadership, dedication and commitment to SCC, the Continuing Education Center was christened the Jack. J. Huck Continuing Education Center. Dr. Huck is most deserving of this prestigious award.”

ACCT is a non-profit educational organization of governing boards, representing more than 6,500 elected and appointed trustees who govern more than 1,200 community, technical and junior colleges in the United States and beyond. Located in Washington, D.C., ACCT is a major voice of community college trustees to the presidential administration, U.S. Congress, the Departments of Education and Labor and more. ACCT educates community and technical college trustees through annual conferences focused on leadership development and advocacy, as well as through publications and online and face-to-face institutes and seminars.