Greg Adams Named Executive Director of Nebraska Community College Association

A man whose professional career has been devoted to education has been named the new executive director of the Nebraska Community College Association.

Greg Adams, current president and executive director of Accelerate Nebraska, will succeed Dennis Baack, who is retiring. Steve Anderson, of Concord, chair of the NCCA board of directors, made the announcement.

Accelerate Nebraska is a non-profit corporation focused on improving educational outcomes and the alignment between high school, post-secondary institutions and the workforce. He also is a distinguished professor of practice at the University of Nebraska Omaha.

Adams will be responsible for NCCA management and legislative relations, which includes lobbying. Adams said his educational background will be essential in facilitating the work of Nebraska’s community colleges as a whole.

Prior to his present position, Adams served eight years in the Nebraska Legislature, representing District 24, from 2006-2014. He served as chairman of the Education Committee and was a member of the Revenue Committee; Committee On Committees; Developmental Disabilities Special Investigative Committee; Education Commission of the States Committee; the Legislature’s Planning Committee; and served as commissioner of the Midwestern Higher Education Compact Commission. Adams served as speaker of the legislature from January 2013 through December 2014. Prior to his time in the Unicameral, Adams was mayor of York from 1996-2006.

He began his new job with the NCCA on Nov. 1.