AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia voted Thursday to name an internal candidate, Dr. Russell T. Keen, as the sole finalist for president of Augusta University.

Keen currently serves as executive vice president for administration and chief of staff to the president at AU, where he’s served in an executive leadership role since July 2015.

He’s set to succeed Dr. Brooks Keel, who’s retiring from the post at the end of the month.

”As a native of the Augusta area, Dr. Keen understands the challenge of maintaining AU’s momentum in the climb from good to better to best as a research university and innovator in medical higher education,” USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue said.

A first-generation college student and a Georgia Southern graduate, Keen has worked within the university system for over 22 years.

Before joining AU, Keen spent 13 years working at Georgia Southern, where he held several administrative positions, including vice president for external affairs and vice president of governmental relations and community engagement.

He also worked as the major gifts officer at the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Georgia.

At Keel’s final State of the University address a few days ago, Keen noted how much progress the school has made in recent years.

“If you look at where we were in 2015 to where we are today,” he said. “It’s a remarkably different institution with remarkable support from the campus and the community.”

At a time when enrollment is tough for lots of universities, AU saw an increase.

In the five years before Keel arrived enrollment at AU it decreased 3% every year, Keen noted.

“And so, if you look at where we are this year, we’ve increased 27% in our enrollment over the last nine years, which is huge,” said Keen.

”Russell is an obvious choice to lead AU,” said Regent Jim Hull, chairman of the presidential search committee.

Hull said Keen has “the unique combination of experience and drive to jumpstart the university’s growth and its continued contributions to health sciences education and translational research in Georgia.”

Hull noted that AU has a unique opportunity with Wellstar Health System to improve Georgians’ clinical health care outcomes. AU Health, which previously operated the dull-service AU Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Georgia, partnered with WellStar for operation of the hospitals and associated health care network.

“Russell is the right leader to work strategically with faculty, staff, students and Wellstar to transform lives and create more opportunity to save lives and collaborate with other research universities in Georgia,” Hull said.

Keen holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an M.Ed. in higher education administration from Georgia Southern. He earned an Ed.D. in higher education management from UGA. He serves with the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Rotary Club of Augusta and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.

He and his wife, Karen, have two children and live in Augusta.

Keel has helmed AU since July 2015, during which time he oversaw significant growth in enrollment and funding, and was previously president at Georgia Southern University, where he and Keen first met.

”It is an immense privilege to be considered for this position, and I’m grateful to the board and Chancellor Perdue for their confidence in me,” Keen said. “My time on campus and in Augusta has prepared me for a seamless transition into this role, and I would be honored to continue the legacy of a president I consider a mentor.”

The Board will take action on the position at a future board meeting no sooner than five days from naming a finalist.

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