By Quincy Kirn
Pensacola State College is entering a period of transition as new members fill the school’s governance and leadership roles. After 18 years, President Ed Meadows announced his retirement in April, effective December 31, 2026. Then in May, Mr. Zack Smith took over as Chair for the college’s Board of Trustees, while the Vice Chair spot was filled by Mr. Todd Leonard. In the past, presidential searches included the community, PSC alumni, and the Board. However, in a recent meeting, Chair Smith explained that the full power of this semester-long search falls to the Board’s responsibility. While details about the presidential search have been limited, the basic qualifications for the job have been listed as such: the new president must have a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree; a background in leadership; experience working with state education policy; and some familiarity with the state budgetary processes.
Chair Smith was previously a member of the Board of Trustees for roughly three months before becoming the Board’s new Chair, where he will serve a two-year term. He is a Senior Legal Fellow at the Heritage Foundation with a Master’s and Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida. Vice Chair Todd Leonard joined the Board in January of this year; he is the current Athletic Director at West Florida High School and has a background in sales and education.
As of September 2026, there are nine members on Pensacola State College’s Board of Trustees. These individuals are now tasked with finding a new President for PSC. While the college has only released a few details regarding the search, speculation surrounding a potential successor to Mr. Meadows has already begun. In a report from August 13, Rick Outzen of Rick’s Blog reported that sources with connections to Tallahassee had suggested Florida Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly could be a candidate for the position. Kelly has served as the Secretary of Commerce since 2023 and previously worked as Governor Ron DeSantis’ deputy chief of staff. According to the report by Outzen, Kelly meets the minimum qualifications listed for the Presidential position. Outzen also stated that, when asked about the search, Smith reportedly described the hunt as a “work-in-progress.”
While the presidential transition looms over the college, the Board’s August 11 meeting focused largely on finances and preparations for the upcoming academic year. The meeting began with a unanimous decision to increase the campus police salary by 3%, effective July 1. Afterwards, the Board continued with their consensus when the Faculty Collective Agreement was brought into effect, providing a 3% raise and an additional $800 added to base pay for the college’s full-time faculty.
Increases to CDL lab fees were discussed and ultimately enacted after some debate. Pensacola State College also renewed the contract with Canvas, the college’s online learning management system. The four-year contract costs approximately $474,389.
After the financial discussions, the Board shifted focus to the athletic department’s upcoming activities. The Pensacola campus will hold the new soccer field’s ribbon cutting on September 3, followed by the Pirates’ first on-campus game against Northeast Community College, starting at 5 PM. Students will also have the opportunity to check out women’s cross country and volleyball, as both seasons begin in September. All Pensacola State College athletic team schedules can be found through the PSC Athletics webpage. The meeting ended with the announcement that the PSC Century campus gym will receive a refurbishment, paid for by Escambia County. The new gym will be used for communal sports and activities; however, the county does not gain access to the campus football field.
With Meadows’ retirement approaching and an almost completely new Board beginning their tenure, the coming months will be an important period for the college. The Board’s selection and preparation for Meadows’ successor will determine the direction of the college’s future. For now, the college has not released additional details; however, the Board of Trustees meets monthly. The next meeting is scheduled for September 22, starting at 5:30 PM; no meeting location or agenda has been released at this time.
Editor’s Note: Pensacola State College has announced that J. Alex Kelly has been selected as the finalist for the Presidential search.