The District Board of Trustees of Northwest Florida State College voted to confirm Commissioner Melvin P. “Mel” Ponder as the next President of Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) at the Board’s Nov. 19 Board meeting. President-Elect Ponder will begin as NWFSC President on January 2, 2025.
The Board of Trustees selected President-Elect Ponder as the fifth president of Northwest Florida State College following an approximately six-month search with more than 100 candidates, which yielded four finalists. Following discussion regarding an employment agreement, the Board unanimously confirmed the selection at their final 2024 regular meeting.
“Thank you to the Board of Trustees for their time, energy, and effort throughout the summer and fall as we completed our rigorous presidential search process. This Board carried out its core responsibility of stewarding the College’s success by selecting a new president,” said Lori Kelley, NWFSC Board Chair. “I look forward to working with President-Elect Ponder when he starts in the Spring Semester as we begin an exciting new chapter in the College’s history. The Board will continue to support him as he shapes the future of Northwest Florida State College.”
President-Elect Ponder, who completed his term as an Okaloosa County Commissioner on Nov. 19, will join the College in January following the conclusion of his role as the Association Executive for the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors and as President of Business Empowered (BE). Previously, he was also honored to serve as Mayor of the City of Destin, as a Destin City Councilman, and in the Florida House of Representatives. While serving as a State Representative, President-Elect Ponder was honored as the Florida College System Council of Presidents Legislator of the Year. He was appointed in 2022 and reappointed in 2023 by Governor Ron DeSantis to serve on the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors. A third-generation Floridian, he was born and raised in Ocala, Fla., but has lived in the Okaloosa County community for many years alongside his wife of 33 years, Mona, and their three children.
“I express my sincere thanks to the Board of Trustees for entrusting me with the honor of serving as the next President of Northwest Florida State College,” said President-Elect Ponder. “This College has a rich legacy in our community, and I am excited to hit the ground running to build on the College’s reputation of serving its students, faculty, staff, and community. It will be a privilege to expand on the College’s work throughout Okaloosa and Walton Counties as we transform lives and meet the workforce demand in our service area.”
Learn more about President-Elect Ponder by visiting www.nwfsc.edu/presidential-search.
