Southwestern Oregon Community College has selected Dr. Steve Kridelbaugh as the interim director of the Oregon Coast Culinary Institute through the fall semester.

Taking the director position, Kridelbaugh is replacing Chef Robert Gregson, who resigned from his position at OCCI in February. A former president of the college, Kridelbaugh worked with Gregson during his tenure and was at the helm when the college established the culinary institute.

Since he retired in 2004, after 15 years at the college, Kridelbaugh said he doesn't plan to take on the job indefinitely.

“I'm not interested in coming back for a long-term position. I love retirement and I'm looking forward to getting back to it in three months,” he said. “This presents me with an opportunity to help out. They haven't had any leadership in that program for a while.”

According to Rick Osborn, director of communications and college relations, Kridelbaugh was the natural choice for an interim director at OCCI.

“He was the logical choice because he's a former president of Southwestern, so he's obviously very familiar with the college landscape,” Osborn said.

College President Dr. Judith Hansen said she was very happy with the selection and was eager to get started at OCCI for the fall semester.

“I'm very excited. I'm also very excited about the initial reaction from everyone here at the college,” Hansen said. “It is unusual for a former president to come back and help out their college.”

Gregson's resignation caught the administration and his students at OCCI by surprise six months ago, and created some controversy with his departure. Some students threatened to leave the program following Gregson's resignation. Those who remained completed course work and have started externships throughout the country this summer.

Filling Gregson's director position has been difficult for the college, Hansen said. While Southwestern officials expected to hire a new director by the beginning of the fall semester, several candidates who were considred for the job would have been unable to accept the position right away - leaving OCCI in need of leadership through the semester, she added.

“It took a month to get the advertising ready, a month to advertise, two months to find candidates and another for interviews. When the screening committee and the selection committee recommended one candidate, we gave that individual too much time to consider the decision,” she said. “As it turned out, he received both a raise and a promotion where he is currently employed.”

As Southwestern prepares to reopen the search for a permanent director at the institute, Hansen said she realized the college was searching for someone with many of Kridelbaugh's best qualities.

“We're looking for someone who has the knowledge, passion and the strength of Dr. Kridelbaugh,” she said. “We are again looking at the qualifications, experience and salary of this position, to see if we have the right package. Dr. Kridelbaugh's leadership will allow us to take the time to attain the leadership OCCI deserves.”

In the meantime, Hansen said she is confident OCCI is in good hands.

“We hope to have a director in place by winter term. However, the most important focus is finding the right person for the OCCI direction, and if that is not forthcoming, we would rather not hire the wrong person,” she added.

Kridelbaugh said he is excited to work with the institute and hopes to make a difference.

“I'm just happy to come back and help out as needed,” he said. “I hope to work together with everybody and have a great program.”

Kridelbaugh will lead the institute through the fall semester and work with the college and the community to organize an OCCI signature event, to be scheduled later this year.