The Nevada Board of Regents announced Friday the appointment of Chester “Chet” Burton as the interim president of Western Nevada College through through June 30, 2016. Burton has served as the acting president since December 2013. He replaced Carol Lucey who resigned last year.
“I cannot imagine finding a person who is more qualified or ready to undertake this leadership role at Western Nevada College,” said Chancellor Dan Klaich who recommended the appointment to the Board. “He moved into the acting position with grace and has tackled tough budgeting issues. His experience uniquely qualifies him for this job.”
Before taking on the acting president position, Burton was vice president of Finance and Administrative Services from 2009-2011.
Burton’s diverse professional background includes 20 years as a Supply Officer in the Navy, including stints at the Pentagon and as a legislative liaison at Capitol Hill. He then launched a career in the corporate sector, working for nine years in a variety of roles including Controller and Finance Director at International Game Technology (IGT), a global-reaching gaming machine manufacturer, headquartered in Reno.
Following his initial time at WNC, he was the chief financial officer for a small consulting business in Arlington, Va, and most recently was director of finance for Unwired Planet, a tech company that recently relocated from Silicon Valley to Reno.