WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — Wake Forest University President Thomas Hearn Jr. announced April 19 that he will retire next year.
Hearn, 66, who took several months off to recuperate from surgery and treatment for a brain tumor, said he is immediately resuming his responsibilities as president. He will retire from the university's presidency in June 2005, in keeping with plans he made before experiencing symptoms of illness or receiving his medical diagnosis last fall, he said.
Murray Greason, chairman of the Wake Forest board of trustees, said the search for Hearn's successor will be a careful one. “Wake Forest has only had 12 presidents in our 170-year history, so I am mindful of the import of this task,” Greason said at a press conference.
Hearn, who will mark 22 years as president next year, said he considers one of his most important remaining jobs to be the successful completion of Wake Forest's $600 million capital campaign. At this point, the university has received gifts and pledges totaling $505 million.
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