SANFORD, N.C. - Dr. Phillip Price is leaving his leadership role at Central Carolina Community College to become Vice President and Chief Finance Officer of the N.C. Community College System, beginning July 24.

Dr. Price, a Certified Public Accountant, has served at CCCC since 2013. He has most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and previously held the role of Vice President of Administrative Services.

"I sincerely appreciate the opportunities I have been provided over the past ten years. I have had the opportunity to be a part of seeing the college go through numerous changes that will have a lasting impact on the communities we serve," said Dr. Price. "I look forward to the challenges of my new role and the opportunities they will provide."

CCCC President Dr. Lisa M. Chapman said that while this is absolutely wonderful for the North Carolina Community College System, it is a tremendous loss to Central Carolina "Phillip has been an exceptional leader at CCCC since he arrived and his efforts have helped us continue to improve and expand our services to our three counties while also ensuring that we maintain sound financial resources," said Dr. Chapman. "He is a visionary leader who is respected across the System and I know that respect will only continue to grow as he steps up to serve and guide all 58 of our colleges as well as his team at the System Office."

Mr. Julian Philpott, Chair of the CCCC Board of Trustees, noted: "Central Carolina Community College and its service area will greatly miss Dr. Phillip Price, but we congratulate him on his new position as Vice President and Chief Finance Officer of the North Carolina Community College System. The North Carolina Community College System is getting a highly qualified, hard-working, and outstanding individual who will be a tremendous asset to all of our state's community colleges in our Community College System Office."

Dr. Jeff Cox, N.C. Community College System President, said when beginning the search that various stakeholders were asked who they thought was the very best candidate to fill this important NCCCS role. "One name kept coming up -- Dr. Phillip Price! With his strong background in financial management and leadership at the local college level and his great reputation across the state, he is going to be a tremendous asset for our team," said Dr. Cox.

Dr. Price came to CCCC from Beaufort County Community College, where he served as Dean of Administrative Services, the college's chief financial officer, from 2005 through 2012. Before becoming dean, he taught a variety of accounting courses and served as the college controller.

"I was fortunate to be on the search team who invited Phillip to come join the CCCC family when he left Beaufort CC several years ago, and I have been honored to not only serve with him during much of his tenure at CCCC, but also to learn so much from him during that time," said Dr. Chapman. "Phillip will forever be a part of our CCCC family and his impact will reach far into the future."

Prior to his service at Beaufort, Dr. Price worked as an auditor in the N.C. Office of the State Auditor from 2001 to 2003.

He earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership with a concentration in higher education administration, as well as his bachelor and master's degrees in Accounting, from East Carolina University.

"Dr. Price served CCCC in an exemplary manner," said Mr. Philpott. "Although we will miss having him as an integral part of our CCCC family on a daily basis, we are glad that he will be providing our entire Community College System the same outstanding expertise and dedicated service as he provided CCCC for many years. We wish him the best in his new position."