When Dr. Raymond Nadolny says he has a very inclusive leadership style, he has the examples to back him up. Like getting 70 full-time staff members who worked for four different unions to attend a three-day retreat to establish a plan that everyone would validate.

Nadolny’s interest in helping build relationships, a commitment to transparency, understanding the “why” associated with matters before making a decision and much more are traits he now intends to bring to Williston State College after being named its next president Monday afternoon.

The State Board of Higher Education chose Nadolny after completing interviews with three finalists for the position earlier in the day. Only two board members, Vice-President Jon Backes of Minot and Pam Kostelecky of Dickinson, attended Monday’s candidate interviews in person. The remaining six higher ed board members opted not to attend in person due to warnings about another major winter storm that entered the state late Sunday.

As a result, those six members participated in the interviews via a telephone conference. Kostelecky said at the start of the interviews that all of the state board members had been given copies of the videos containing the finalists’ interviews with the WSC Search Committee and also had reviewed printed materials provided by the committee and the finalists.

In sharing his retreat story Monday during his board interview, Nadolny wasn’t sure at the time if those 70 staff members would stay through the third day of the retreat, which fell on a Saturday. “All 70 people remained. From that point on, they had a shared vision,” he said.

Nadolny said the most effective form of communication is lateral, not top down or from the bottom up.

“Steps need to be taken with people, not by one’s own,” he told the board.

He said open conversations need to be had without fear when visiting with staff about what needs to be done and how to accomplish it.

“I have a real commitment to transparency...and I think that leads to integrity,” Nadolny said.

He said his vision for WSC is to identify the value of the college as seen by the community and the higher ed board. He also believes WSC will be as healthy as that displayed by the community of Williston, and the community will be as healthy as reflected in the state’s position.

Once this value is established, “understanding the value of this institution needs to be communicated broadly here,” Nadolny said.

Currently vice president for extended learning at Lake Washington Technical College in Kirkland, Wash., Nadolny recognizes the dual mission WSC has in teaching traditional liberal arts courses and providing workforce training opportunities.

“The way we connect these multiple missions is by responding to the community’s needs,” he said.

Nadolny said his father had a significant influence on him and also has been one to remind Nadolny that he’s a government employee.

“We have a state treasure. We have a state asset,” he said in referencing WSC. “I look at this as what it can become.”

Nadolny spent his summers as a youngster growing up in Wisconsin lake country, which provided him with an opportunity to explore.

“I think learning is exploring,” he said.

His current environment in Washington state involves people who weren’t born there who are very busy with working.

“What excites me about Williston is it is very easy to have hope,” Nadolny said. “This is an experience and Williston State College has the opportunity to live this experience with the community.”

After his selection was announced, Nadolny said he wants to meet with as many people as possible once he arrives at WSC.

“People in the community, staff, students, faculty. It’s very important for me to touch as many people as I can very early to get a sense of the community and get an idea of what is to be expected and what can be expected of Williston State College,” he said.

In visiting with people, Nadolny hopes to find out what the institution is capable of doing.

“I’m going to ask people ‘What do you believe leadership can do in the short term?’ And then I’m going to ask them, ‘What do you believe leadership can do in the short term to make it happen?’” he said.

Nadolny thinks there are a lot of people who want to talk about the future of WSC.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to meet people and kind of identify what those possibilities are...actionable pieces that can be realized and solid deliverables,” he said.

Nadolny is intrigued by the fact WSC is located adjacent to Canada and another state.

“To me, this is the global economy. We are two countries right next to each other, that speaks to so much opportunity, and we are two states right next to each other,” he said.

Nadolny also is looking forward to working with University System Chancellor Bill Goetz, who participated in person in Monday’s interview, and the higher ed board.

“I come from a system where there is a state board of higher education and a community and technical college state board, two different systems,” he said. “And these people sit at two different tables. I think that when you have one table, and share a common interest which is higher education in the state of North Dakota, I think that is truly a remarkable way to do higher ed.”

In a press release issued by the University System, higher ed board President Richie Smith of Wahpeton stated, “Members of the State Board of Higher Education were very impressed by Dr. Nadolny’s passion for and commitment to Williston State College. He will be a strong and able leader for Williston State College and a tremendous asset to the community, the region and the state of North Dakota.”

“We have made what I thought is a very good selection as president,” Goetz said after Nadolny was chosen. “We need to come together in a team effort to help make our new president a success.”

Under the agreement he reached with the state board, Nadolny is to receive $150,000 a year in a three-year contract that is to begin around April 15.