David Knezek, former Wayne County Commissioner and the newly appointed president of Henry Ford College, speaks during the July 14 Dearborn Heights City Council meeting.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
David Knezek Jr. announced July 14 during the Dearborn Heights City Council meeting that he is stepping down from the Wayne County Commission to become president of Henry Ford College.
Knezek, who will be the college’s seventh president, succeeds interim president Lori M. Gonko.
While representing Dearborn Heights, Garden City and Inkster on the Wayne County Commission, he secured $10 million for Ecorse Creek flood mitigation.
During the same time period Knezek served as the chief operating officer for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
He served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2013 to 2014, and in the Michigan Senate from 2015 to 2018, during which time he secured $30 million for the University of Michigan-Dearborn School of Engineering.
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Knezek completed two deployments during Operation Iraqi Freedom before receiving a 2012 honorable discharge.
He has a master’s degree from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in political science from UM-D.
“Henry Ford College has always been a vital institution for the people of Dearborn and the surrounding communities I have been privileged to serve,” Knezek said. “My own non-traditional academic journey fortified a deep belief in the transformative power of higher education and the role that community colleges play as engines of economic opportunity, workforce development, and upward mobility.
“I am deeply honored by the trust the board has placed in me, and excited to work alongside HFC’s outstanding faculty, staff, and students to build on the College’s remarkable legacy and advance its mission for many years to come.”
HFC Trustee Jamal Aljahmi said the search drew more than 120 candidates.
“Mr. Knezek is well qualified for this role, and we are confident in his ability to lead the College forward in the years to come,” he said.