By Suzy Alstrin
Heather Pence (RU-2011), an alumna of Reinhardt’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, now leads Chattahoochee Technical College (Chatt Tech) as interim president. She serves nine campuses over six counties while retaining the role of Executive VP for Operations Chattahoochee Technical College.
Pence believes in the importance of her MBA saying, “Because I was able to diversify and no longer be pigeonholed in knowing just accounting, it has helped me move through the organization and provide the service that I needed to deliver.” She also fondly recalls a professor’s impact, “Dr. Kathy Hyatt helped me to focus on ways to balance my personal life and my work life. While I need to do a good job at work, I also need to do a good job at home. I have carried that with me this entire time. That one particular MBA course made a vast difference for me.” She added that the program complemented working and raising a family simultaneously and allowed her to make lasting contacts.
Over 11,000 students currently benefit from Pence’s passion for her career, not including students served in the adult education program, “We make a huge impact at Chatt Tech and the mission of Chatt Tech is in my heart,” said Pence. “By serving our students, we are serving our communities and the industries in our communities. We train employees to be the best employees they can be when they get out into the workforce. And we prepare our students to go forward to a campus like Reinhardt.”
Many Chatt Tech students progress to Reinhardt, thanks to articulation agreements for course credit transfers, and other partnerships between the institutions. Pence elaborated, “Reinhardt is a great partner with Chattahoochee Tech so I have the opportunity to recommend Reinhardt to people in my community and at this college frequently.”
In addition to her new role, Pence serves as treasurer of the Pickens Chamber of Commerce and is actively involved in chamber events in Cherokee, Cobb, and Bartow counties, as well as within her church.
