NORRISTOWN – The Montgomery County Intermediate Unit has selected John George, executive director of the Berks County Intermediate Unit, to serve as executive director.
George, the BCIU executive director since 2008, will assume his position on Oct. 20.
‘Having served as both an intermediate unit executive director and a school district superintendent, Dr. George brings a unique combination of leadership and demonstrated ability to provide strategic vision for an organization, lead and mentor superintendents, and engage state and national educational political stakeholders,’ Lou Polaneczky, MCIU board president, said in a press release. ‘We are convinced that Dr. George is the right person to lead the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit.’
The MCIU began a search for an executive director after former executive director Jerry Shiveley was placed on administrative leave in April 2014 before his scheduled retirement. Bradley Landis, assistant executive director of instruction at the time of Shiveley’s retirement, was appointed to the position of substitute executive director while Ray and Associates conducted a search on behalf of the MCIU.
George was chosen following a series of reference checks and telephone interviews with all candidates, according to a press release announcing the appointment. Additionally, the release said, selected candidates were required to submit a video presentation that answered questions provided by the search committee and to interview with MCIU board members and a panel of school district superintendents and MCIU cabinet members.
The release detailed George’s credentials and experience for the position as follows:
While serving as the BCIU executive director in 2014, George took the position of superintendent of the Reading School District to help stop the district from coming under state control, which he succeeded in doing.
Previously, George was the superintendent and assistant superintendent of the Warwick School District, and a special education director at the Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit.
He worked for the Capital Area Intermediate Unit as an administrator in the Instructional Support System of PA and with the Washington, D.C., based National Association of State Directors of Special Education as assistant director for Governmental Relations. He also worked as a special education teacher in West Virgina, in Virginia and in the Pittsburgh area.
George received his bachelor’s degree from George Washington University, received his doctorate and master of education degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, and finished his post-doctoral studies at Temple University.
Additionally, he has written several articles and publications and testified to the U.S. Congress, the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and the Pennsylvania State Board of Education.
George serves as the immediate past president for the Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units, vice chairman of the Berks Business Education Coalition, and a member of the Advisory Board for Penn State University – Berks Campus.
