University of North Florida President Emeritus John Delaney has been selected to serve as Flagler College’s interim president.The retired UNF president, who also served two terms as Jacksonville’s mayor, will be temporarily replacing current President Joseph G. Joyner, who announced his retirement in November. Joyner will step down at the end of the 2020-21 academic year after four years in the position.
Related: UNF President John Delaney To Retire Next Week (2/27/2017)
The board of the private St. Augustine college said Delaney’s selection will allow the board’s Presidential Search Committee the time needed to plan and conduct a national search to find the fifth president of Flagler College, hopefully without the COVID-induced travel restrictions and gathering limitations of today.
“I want to assure the Flagler community that the Board of Trustees is committed to conducting a national search to find the right leader for the College at this point in our history,” said Rick Groux, chair of the Flagler Board of Trustees.
Delaney, who is also a lawyer, is currently a shareholder at Rogers Towers law firm and a principal of The Fiorentino Group, a government relations and business development firm.
“Flagler College is a national gem and with its gorgeous historic buildings, has to be one of the prettiest campuses in the country,” Delaney said in a news release.
Delaney is also an occasional contributor to WJCT's First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross Friday News Roundtable.
