Dr. Charles King RICHLANDS---Southwest Virginia Community College President Charles King has been nominated for the prestigious Association of Community College Trustees Marie Y. Martin CEO Award. The award is given nationally each year to an outstanding community college Chief Executive Officer who has exemplified vision and initiative in leading his or her institution. Dr. King is the founding president of SVCC, and had the unique opportunity of being part of the initial start-up of two community colleges, the first was in North Carolina before he came to Virginia and SVCC. Since signing on as CEO of the College, King has directed the institution as it has grown from one building to the seventh largest community college of the 23 in the Virginia System. The number of innovative programs that he initiated during the past 35 years of his leadership of SVCC has been extraordinary. From pioneering international education in a community college setting, before it became a buzzword, to developing cooperative associate degree programs using consortium principles, to spearheading a comprehensive distance learning program that currently enrolls over 6,000 students annually, Dr. King has kept SVCC ahead of the curve through his sensitivity to the community, to regional business/industry, and to national trends, in order to lead the College to national prominence as an exemplary community college. Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System Dr. Glenn DuBois, in his role as Secretary for the State Board of Community Colleges, led the nomination of Dr. King for the Marie Y. Martin Award. The Local Community Board Chair, Barbara Altizer, summed up support for Dr. King for this award as "SVCC is known throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia as a model community college and leader in community college programming. Dr. King and SVCC are synonymous." King continues to guide the College while remaining involved in a multitude of economic development initiatives, committee work, and organizations. He has received a number of awards including: Man of the Year, Cumberland Plateau Planning District; Kentucky Colonel Award; Bronze Award, United Way; Management Educator of the Year, National Association of Management Educators; and Citizen of the Year, Richlands Area Chamber of Commerce. Working hard and making a difference in the community runs in King's family. Several years ago his brother, Maxwell, then President of Brevard Community College in Florida, received the ACCT award.