Utah Board of Higher Education to launch presidential search
Bridgerland Technical College President K. Chad Campbell announced his retirement effective June 30, 2026, after 41 years of service in Utah technical education, including the past 11 years as president of Bridgerland Technical College.
Campbell began his career at Bridgerland Technical College in 1985 and served for three decades as the institution’s chief financial officer before being named president in 2015. Throughout his tenure, he has helped guide the college through significant growth, campus expansion, governance changes and evolving workforce needs while maintaining a strong focus on students, employees and industry partnerships.
“Throughout my career, one constant has remained clear: our students are at the heart of everything we do,” said Campbell. “Their ambition, resilience and growth inspire every decision and effort made here at Bridgerland Technical College. It has been the greatest honor of my life to support technical education and serve this institution and community.”
During Campbell’s presidency, Bridgerland Technical College expanded instructional capacity, strengthened partnerships with employers and increased opportunities for students through strengthened transfer and articulation pathways with Utah’s degree-granting institutions. Under his leadership, the college continued to increase student completions across high-demand workforce programs while investing in online and hybrid learning capabilities that helped minimize disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic and supported long-term instructional flexibility.
Campbell also played a key role in securing funding for major capital development projects, including the college’s Health Sciences Building, and helped advance long-term campus planning through strategic property acquisitions. He helped establish the college’s first chief development officer position to strengthen external partnerships and expand fundraising and resource development efforts.
“President Campbell’s impact on Bridgerland Technical College and technical education in Utah has been extraordinary,” said Geoffrey Landward, Commissioner of Higher Education. “His leadership and collaboration have helped strengthen opportunities for students, expand workforce training across the region and position the college for long-term innovation and growth. We are deeply grateful for his decades of service and dedication.”
In addition to his work at the college, Campbell has served on numerous boards and leadership committees, including the Cache Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Utah Chamber Coalition and legislative and higher education committees focused on workforce and facilities planning.
“It has been a privilege to collaborate with President Campbell for over five years on the Bridgerland Technical College Board of Trustees and learn from his rich experience and mentorship,” said Paul Nelson, Bridgerland Board of Trustees chair and Sr. Director of Space Systems Digital Transformation at Northrop Grumman. “President Campbell has a unique ability to align what may appear to be conflicting priorities into win-win scenarios. He achieves this through one-on-one relationships, a listen-first leadership style, and an unwavering focus on student success and the college’s long-term future. Chad leads with humility, builds trust naturally, and is a joy to work alongside. He will be greatly missed at Bridgerland, but his impact on the college and its students will continue for years to come.”
The Utah Board of Higher Education will launch the search for Bridgerland’s next president in the coming weeks. More information will be shared as it becomes available.