Dr. Forest Mahan Named Regional CEO of the Year

Aiken Technical College (Aiken Tech) President Forest E. Mahan, Ph.D., has been named the Chief Executive Officer of the Year for the Southern Region by the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT).

Dr. Mahan has also been selected for the Chief Executive Officer state award by the SC Association of Technical College Commissioners.

“I am elated to be nominated and selected for the ACCT CEO Award for the state of South Carolina and the Southern Region! Our team at Aiken Tech exemplifies what it means to be committed, innovative, and collaborative, consistently making excellence the standard,” said Dr. Mahan. “It is an honor to lead this team and guide our college as we aim to be the first choice for higher education in the region.”

The award recognizes the contributions and impact community and technical college leaders have made at their colleges and in the communities they serve.

Dr. Mahan has demonstrated visionary leadership and “dedication to inclusion, equity, and excellence,” stated Keyatta Priester, chair of SC ATCC and board member of the ACCT and chair-elect of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

“On behalf of the South Carolina Association of Technical College Commissioners, it is with great pride and admiration that we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Forest Mahan on his exceptional achievement,” said Priester.

Joe Lewis, chair of the Aiken County Commission for Technical and Comprehensive Education, shared similar sentiments.

“This is an outstanding achievement and demonstrates that Dr. Mahan, through his leadership and collaborative partnerships as well as his focus on student success, is among the best college presidents in the nation,” said Lewis.

Dr. Mahan became the fifth president of Aiken Technical College in July 2016. During his tenure, he has led the College’s strategic and master planning and implementation, growth of academic and workforce development initiatives and partnerships, and recent and ongoing campus capital improvement projects.

In addition to his leadership at the College, Dr. Mahan is active in the community, serving on various organization boards.