News
SMC Board of Trustees Appoints Brent Brewer as Interim President
Published on February 7, 2025 - 4 p.m.
At a special meeting on Thursday afternoon, the Southwestern Michigan College Board of Trustees accepted President Dr. Joe Odenwald’s resignation with regret and unanimously appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Brent Brewer as interim president, effective May 11, 2025, subject to contract negotiations.
Odenwald notified the SMC Board of Trustees earlier in the week that he has accepted the presidency of Alma College in Alma, Mich., effective June 1, 2025. Odenwald will remain in his current position stewarding the college through Spring 2025 Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 10.
“The college recognizes and appreciates Dr. Odenwald’s contributions,” said Chairman Thomas F. Jerdon. “SMC is in great condition, as it has been during my entire time here. Per state statute, governance of the college is vested solely with the locally elected Board of Trustees. It is the responsibility of this Board to manage any presidential transition, and we take that duty seriously. SMC has a lot of initiatives in the works right now, including multiple construction projects, an upcoming Higher Learning Commission assurance argument due on June 30, athletics expansion and the annual budgeting process. We feel it’s important to retain some consistency in leadership moving forward to keep everything on track.”
After officially accepting Odenwald’s resignation, the Board had a lengthy and thorough conversation involving all seven trustees regarding the best course forward. They voted unanimously to appoint Brewer and to continue discussions about the need and method of any future searches to fill the role of president on a more permanent basis. SMC has appointed interim presidents twice in the past.
Brewer has worked for over 16 years at the college. He earned an Associate in Arts from SMC, then a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management and a Master of Business Administration from Bethel University in Mishawaka, Indiana. Brewer joined SMC in a professional role as Outreach Specialist in September 2008, and has also served as Director of Enrollment Management, Community Outreach Coordinator, Director of Niles Campus, Associate Vice President for the Niles Campus, Chief of Staff, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Campus Life and Special Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives before assuming his current role in May 2024.
Jerdon said, “Brent has been an exceptional executive at SMC for nearly 17 years and has worked very closely with President Emeritus David Mathews and Dr. Odenwald in the day-to-day operations of the college. The Board is confident in his ability to lead as interim president.”
The Board of Trustees will next gather at their regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 8 a.m. on the Dowagiac campus.
