Knott to Step Down from Parkland Board Following UI Appointment
Trustee's eight-year service ends Jan. 5; board to announce process to fill vacancy
Parkland College Board of Trustees Chair Gregory Knott will step down as a member of the board in January following an announcement today of his appointment as the ninth secretary of the University of Illinois System and Board of Trustees.
Knott will resign effective Jan. 5, 2020, and is slated to begin his new role Jan. 6 in a designate capacity, pending approval from University of Illinois trustees on Jan. 16. Parkland College President Dr. Thomas Ramage commended Knott on the announcement and his service to the college.
"Mr. Knott's leadership and active engagement in the governance of the college has been tremendously valuable over the past eight years," Ramage said. "He has continued the legacy of stability and stewardship that Parkland has been known for since its inception. He leaves his post as chairman having made a lasting, positive impact on the institution. We are grateful for his service and wish him well in this new professional endeavor at the university."
Elected to Parkland's board in 2011, Knott served as vice chair from 2015-2018 and stepped into the role of chair in April 2019. He is a graduate of Parkland College and a member of the Parkland College Foundation Board of Directors. Prior to serving Parkland in this capacity, he was a member of the Champaign County Board from 2000 to 2011.
"It has been an honor and privilege to serve Parkland College in this capacity over the past eight years," Knott remarked. "I feel confident that the college is in a strong position to continue providing high-quality, affordable, and relevant programs to the District 505 community in the years to come. Parkland plays a critical role in the vitality of our community, and I feel honored to have been a part of fulfilling its mission."
Vice Chair Bianca Green will lead the trustees in the process of filling the vacancy left by Knott. More information on the timeline and process for filling the board vacancy will be available in the new year.