Chandler Named Chatt Tech's President Emeritus

Sanford Chandler, the former president of , has been honored with the designation of President Emeritus by the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG).

The board voted unanimously to bestow Chandler with the title earlier this month and presented him with a resolution that designates his status of President Emeritus. Chandler was recognizes for his commitment to improving the lives and careers of students through technical and adult education.

His leadership helped to build Chattahoochee Tech into Georgia’s biggest technical college and the eighth-largest enrollment among all public colleges and universities in the state.

“Under Dr. Chandler’s leadership, Chattahoochee Technical College accomplished an unprecedented three-college merger that not only increased its size and stature in Georgia’s higher education system, but also enhanced the broad scope of the outstanding workforce training programs that the college offers to tens of thousands of students each year,” said Paul Holmes, the chairman of the TCSG State Board.

Chandler thanked the board for the honor and expressed his appreciation to the many individuals that have contributed to the college’s growth and success.

“I’m deeply honored to be recognized in this manner. It would not have been possible except for the many outstanding people that I’ve been blessed to work with, both at the college and throughout the communities that have provided strong support for the campuses of Chattahoochee Technical College,” said Chandler.

Chandler served as the college’s president from 2008 to 2011. Under his guidance, the original Chattahoochee Technical College consolidated with the administrations of North Metro Technical College in Acworth and Appalachian Technical College in Jasper. The merger, which was completed in July 2009, proved to save on administrative costs while expanding access to course offerings across all of the local campuses, which provide workforce training for the students and communities that they serve.

In September 2011, TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson appointed Chandler as the system’s assistant commissioner for global initiatives. Chandler, who expanded the international program at Chattahoochee Technical College, was given the job of building greater worldwide recognition of the TCSG education programs while also working to expand new and existing international student and faculty exchange at all of the 25 TCSG colleges.

Chandler has devoted more than 37 years to education, including almost 23 years in Georgia’s technical college system.

He began his work in Georgia in 1989 as an instructor at North Metro Technical College, where he later rose to the positions of dean of institutional advancement and vice president of instruction.

He was the president of Appalachian Technical College from 2003 to 2008 and the vice president of operations at Coosa Valley Technical College (now Georgia Northwestern Technical College) in Rome from 1999 to 2003.

Chandler received his Doctor of Occupational Education from the University of Georgia in 1996. He has a bachelor of science and master’s in vocational and adult education from Auburn University.

Chandler has served on numerous boards and advisory councils related to technical education in Georgia and across the United States. He is a certified team leader for the Council on Occupational Education and has participated in accreditation visits at postsecondary educational institutions throughout the southeast. He has been active in the leadership of a number of civic clubs, chambers of commerce and development authorities.

He and his wife of 42 years have four children and five grandchildren.