Herbert L. King Jr.

Dr. Herbert L. King, Jr. became the 16th president of Lees-McRae on June 1, 2018. Prior to Lees-McRae, King served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Hampden-Sydney College in Hampden-Sydney, Virginia, where he was responsible for all development, alumni relations and career services. Earlier in his career, he served vice-presidencies at Hollins University and Ferrum College. His leadership experience spans across the higher education spectrum from institutional advancement, to first-year experiences, to intercollegiate athletics.

His professional background extends beyond the scope of higher education, serving as both Executive Director and Director of Development at the Patrick Henry Family Services where he created the organization’s first strategic plan, launched comprehensive facility renovation efforts and multiple fundraising efforts. King also has extensive marketing and public relations leadership, including institutional rebranding efforts.

Since arriving at Lees-McRae, King has led the campus in creating a new facility master plan to guide campus infrastructure development in the decades ahead, and has encouraged Lees-McRae to embrace its uniqueness to differentiate itself in the crowded landscape of higher education. During his presidency, the college has nearly doubled its endowment and is aggressively building new partnerships with alumni and the local community to benefit our students. He has been elected to the Executive Committee of the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, and serves as a board member of both Conference Carolinas and the Avery County Chamber of Commerce. He is an active leader in scouting with Troop 100 in Boone, is a member of the Order of the Arrow, and is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa.

King received his Doctor of Education in educational leadership from The University of Virginia, his Master of Education in educational administration from Lynchburg College and his Bachelor of Arts in English and history from Hampden-Sydney.