Bruce Budde will serve as Illinois Central College’s interim president after Sheila Quirk-Bailey retires at the end of the calendar year.
Budde is ICC’s executive vice president of administration and finance. He has been a part of the college’s administration for more than 30 years.
The ICC board of trustees approved Budde’s appointment during a special board meeting on Thursday.
He said it’s an honor to serve as interim president and a privilege to lead ICC and its faculty and staff during the transition.
“The objective is to work with the leadership team, keep us moving on all of our strategic planning initiatives, keep the institution engaged, work with the outside community, [and] again, bring some continuity and stability to our operations while we're going through that process,” Budde said in an interview with WCBU.
“We just engaged in our multi-year strategic plan, and we've got next year mapped out pretty well. So, my role is to help lead the team through executing those strategies, as well as really dealing with any issues that might come up, but also staying very much engaged with the local community," he said.
Budde previously served as ICC’s interim president, before Quirk-Bailey was hired to replace John Erwin in 2016.
“I understand the operation in multiple different ways, so I can help with that transition for the new president as they come in and step into their role,” said Budde. “Just help them understand our culture, our climate, anything that they would need to help that new president be successful in their tenure with the college.”
ICC board chair Cindy Byrd said they have “great confidence” in Budde’s ability to guide the college through the leadership change.
“Bruce Budde’s long-standing commitment to Illinois Central College and his deep understanding of our operations make him a natural choice to guide us through this transitional period,” said Byrd said in a media release.
In addition to Budde’s appointment, the board approved hiring executive search firm R.H. Perry to lead the process of finding Quirk-Bailey’s successor. The search is expected to include stakeholder input, candidate recruitment, evaluations and interviews.
Quirk-Bailey announced her planned retirement July 1. The college’s announcement said the board “remains on schedule” to hire the next president by July 1, 2026.
