Henry Ford College's presidential search is down to five contenders, and the final round will play out in public on the Dearborn campus. The Board of Trustees has approved a slate of finalists and scheduled on-campus interviews for the weeks of March 23 and March 30. The group includes Interim President Lori M. Gonko, HFC Vice President for Advancement Dr. A. Reginald Best, Dr. L. Michael (Mickey) McCloud, Mr. David Knezek and Dr. Pakou Yang. Trustees plan to gather public feedback during the interview period before deliberating and voting on the next permanent president.
On-campus interviews and public comment
According to Henry Ford College, full interview schedules and an anonymous comment form will be posted so members of the public can submit feedback on each finalist. The Board approved the finalist slate after the Presidential Search Advisory Committee forwarded its recommendations. The college says the interviews will be held on campus and that community input will factor into the trustees' final deliberations.
Transparency questions follow the shortlist
Local reporting has raised concerns that parts of the advisory committee's work did not take place in public, with some community members and trustees questioning the process. The Arab American News reported that the Board voted 6-1 to approve the finalists while taking steps to retroactively correct procedural irregularities. The outlet also quoted legal observers who warned that the search may still face challenges under Michigan's Open Meetings Act.
Search profile, pay and priorities
The search began in fall 2025, with HFC selecting Academic Search to assist. An advisory committee of roughly 22 members helped narrow the candidate pool, as outlined in the college's search materials. HFC's official presidential profile states that the new president is expected to start July 1, with a hiring range of $275,000 to $300,000 and a leadership agenda focused on student success, community partnerships, fiscal stewardship and workforce-development innovation. The profile also notes that HFC serves more than 12,000 students and offers over 150 degree and certificate programs, with those details available from Henry Ford College.
Meet the finalists
The five finalists include interim HFC President Lori M. Gonko and HFC Vice President for Advancement Dr. A. Reginald Best, as reported by MLive. The external contenders are Dr. L. Michael (Mickey) McCloud, chief academic officer and provost at Johnson County Community College; Mr. David Knezek, chief operating officer at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, per MDHHS; and Dr. Pakou Yang, interim president at Normandale Community College.
Legal stakes
Legal experts say that if the advisory committee's closed deliberations effectively shaped the final decisions, the selection could be vulnerable to a court challenge under Michigan's Open Meetings Act. That concern has been sharpened by the Michigan Supreme Court's Pinebrook Warren ruling. Analysis of that decision suggests a successful challenge could lead a court to set aside actions taken without proper public notice; see the Pinebrook Warren opinion at Justia for background.
What to watch
In the coming weeks, watch for the college to publish each finalist's interview schedule and the anonymous feedback form ahead of the campus sessions. Trustees say they will review that input before a public deliberation and vote. If a candidate is chosen from this round, the transition is expected to follow the timeline aimed at a July 1 start.
