
This story has been updated.
A university administrator from Iowa has been selected as the new president of Northern Maine Community College.
Doug Binsfeld, current vice president for academic and student affairs at Upper Iowa University, will start at the Presque Isle campus in April, system officials said.
Following an interview process that included about 50 national candidates, Maine Community College System President David Daigler recommended Binsfeld for the position. The system’s trustees confirmed the appointment Tuesday.
This will be Binsfeld’s first campus presidency, and his experience makes him well suited for the area, Daigler said Tuesday.
“He is coming from Iowa — every bit as rural as northern Maine — and understands that culture and the need that those communities have for specifically a community college education,” Daigler said. “He is very quick to engage himself in the community at large. He’s not going to be a president siting on campus waiting for people to come to him.”
Binsfeld embraces the college system’s workforce development efforts and understands the value of building training based on employer and student needs, Daigler said.
He cited the Presque Isle campus-led mechanized logging program as an example. The 20-week training program immerses students in a working woods operation and introduces them to the skills and equipment necessary to start working immediately after the program ends.
What can happen with such a model is that students gain confidence in their abilities through training and may seek additional degrees or programs, Daigler said. Binsfeld understood that concept.
“He embraced immediately that notion of building relationships with businesses, with people, and that we’re not in a ‘one and done’ education model,” Daigler said.
Binsfeld will replace longtime NMCC President Timothy Crowley, who served 22 years as president and retired on Aug. 1.
NMCC Academic Dean Angela Buck will continue as interim president until Binsfeld starts.
While visiting the campus, Binsfeld was impressed by the warmth and pride of the campus community. The facility stood out for its strong commitment to student success, deep connection to the community and its reputation for delivering high-quality education, he said.
“The opportunity to work alongside such a dedicated team of faculty, staff and community partners to make a meaningful impact on students’ lives was incredibly compelling, Binsfeld said. “It’s clear that NMCC is a place where students are empowered to reach their potential, and I’m honored to join this vibrant and forward-thinking institution.”
Binsfeld has been at Upper Iowa University since 2020, and before that was associate vice president of academic affairs at Northeast Iowa Community College.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in speech communication and Spanish from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, a master’s in communications studies from South Dakota State University, and received his doctorate in adult and higher education from the University of South Dakota, according to the Maine Community College System.
Binsfeld has experience in planning for financial sustainability and helping students succeed, system officials said. He has also worked to grow community engagement and enhance faculty and student community.
“I am very pleased to welcome Dr. Binsfeld as the new president of Northern Maine Community College,” said Peter DelGreco, chairman of the system’s board. “I’m looking forward to seeing him apply his experience and expertise as he leads the NMCC community to a bright future.”
The community college opened in 1961 as Northern Maine Vocational Technical Institute, according to the campus history. In 1990 it became Northern Maine Technical College, transitioning to Northern Maine Community College in 2004.
The college operates a learning center in Houlton and also operates off-campus programs, including mechanized logging and commercial truck driving. It serves more than 770 students in 30 different programs.
It is one of seven colleges in the Maine Community College System.