CHARLESTON, W.Va. — First lady Joanne Tomblin announced Friday that she’ll retire as president of Southern West Virginia Community and Technical June 30. She’s held the position for 15 years.
“Being part of the Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College family for the last 33 years and serving as president for the last 15 years has truly been the opportunity of a lifetime. My decision to leave my post at Southern has been an extremely difficult and emotional decision, and I will miss the great people and the students who have made this journey so enriching and worthwhile,” Mrs. Tomblin said in a statement.
She said she’ll spend the next two years helping her husband, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, to advance his initiatives “to put West Virginia first.”
“As First Lady, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to visit communities across the state to improve education for all West Virginians, help educate new families on ways to keep babies safe while sleeping, support our military families and promote our state’s beautiful and rich heritage,” the first lady said.