Monroe ? After seven years at South Piedmont Community College, John McKay announced he will retire as SPCC president in June 2011.

He?s spent 45 years in academia and said he plans to spend more time with his grandson, traveling and volunteering during his retirement.

This was the first time McKay has worked with a college with multiple campuses and he said a high point was helping Union County develop ?a viable community college.?

?The sum mission is to be the college of choice,? McKay said. ?It?s the idea to be the college of choice for people in Union and Anson county.?

The idea of student?s continuing to grow and learning to better themselves with more education was something he said he?s enjoyed during his time as president.

?I?ll miss the people I work with and the interactions with the folks in the community,? he said.

During his tenure, enrollment has grown 43 percent and employs 30 more full-time faculty. The college has also added several programs including an associate degree in nursing and has launched early college high schools.

During the process of finding a replacement, Tom Crooke a member of the board of directors, said it will take the board of trustees an entire year to find a replacement.

?Let me just say if there is another Dr. McKay I hope we find him,? Crooke said.

The next president, he said, should be innovative and focus on students.

?(We?ll look for someone) who is involved in the community,? he said. ?It is important for the head of the school to be visible in the community. McKay has, and we?ll look for someone with that experience and activity in civic clubs.?

Richard Heins, United Way?s regional vice president, worked with McKay through his agency.

?He?s a great leader and anything we have asked him to do on behalf of United Way he has done and always done it with a smile,? he said.

The president has many accomplishments, board member Hoy Lanning said.

?He?s contributed in so many ways it?s hard to center on just one thing,? he said.

SPCC ranking in the top 30 community colleges and the ?hiring of good people? were two Lanning named.

McKay is SPCC?s second president. He received his doctorate in community college leadership from Auburn University.