CAZENOVIA — The Cazenovia College board of directors has decided that the man it chose as interim president should also be its pick to lead the school moving forward.

The board, in the last weekend of February, removed interim from David Bergh’s title, making him Cazenovia College’s 30th president.

He served in the interim role since mid-January, following the retirement of previous school president Ron Chesbrough.

The move reflects the trustees’ “utmost confidence” in the professionalism, skills, values, ideas, and energy of Bergh and in his ability to lead the school’s next phase of growth, Kenneth Gardiner, chair of the board of directors, said in a Feb. 28 news release. It will include a “re-imagining of the college’s future” and the development of additional revenue streams to support the institution’s financial position, he added.

“We quickly recognized that in Dr. Bergh, we already had in place an experienced, proven leader and the right person to head the College for these times,” Gardiner said. “He knows this institution and understands what we’re about. He has the intellectual, executive, and visionary capacities needed to pave new paths to growth and to entertain new ideas to cement long-term stability. He has been integral to critical initiatives such as long-term strategic planning, relationship-building with financial backers, bond refinancing, and Middle States Commission on Higher Education re-accreditation. He is also already part of and is well-known and respected in the Cazenovia community. We’re ready to have Dr. Bergh’s energy and vision permanently move the College forward on several key endeavors.” 

Bergh has more than 25 years of experience in higher-education leadership and administration. He has been at Cazenovia College for the past six years, spending the previous two years as the college’s executive VP. He also previously was VP for planning and institutional effectiveness for almost four years, the school noted.

In his time at Cazenovia, the college says Bergh revised its governance structure and developed and implemented its institutional strategic plan. 

He previously oversaw operations for several departments, including admissions, institutional research and assessment, human resources, athletics and recreation, the Equine Education Center, and the Catherine Cummings Theatre. 

He has also served as the college’s accreditation officer, as co-chair of its self-study process for Middle States Commission on Higher Education accreditation, and as a member of the college’s Commission on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. 

In addition, he established the Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development and earned recognition for the college from NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) for advancing clean-energy initiatives.