GCC President Dr. David Viar to Retire at End of Academic Year

45-year veteran of academia had impact locally, statewide, and nationally.

Glendale Community College (GCC) Superintendent/President Dr. David Viar has announced that he will be retiring in June 2022, following the completion of the current school year. For the past eight years, Dr. Viar has been known as the collaborative leader of GCC, but his 45-year career in academia has garnered him the respect of colleagues throughout the state of California.  

Dr. Viar arrived at GCC in 2013 following an eight-year stint as president of American River College (ARC) in the state capital. Prior to his role with ARC, Viar served 15 years in Sacramento as the chief executive of the Community College League of California (CCLC), an advocacy group for the state’s 73-community college districts that he co-founded in 1990.

Upon joining GCC, Dr. Viar’s ability to build strong working relations among colleagues, community leaders, and various groups and organizations resulted in a host of accomplishments including the following:

  • GCC’s accreditation at the highest level for seven years.
  • Reaching record levels of degrees and certificates awarded to GCC students.
  • Increased support for high school students through dual enrollment and the creation of early college academies.
  • Passage of Measure GC and the over $325 million of facilities improvements both completed and currently underway.

“When the board of trustees hired Dr. Viar, his original commitment was to serve for five-years, yet we have been fortunate to have him for what will be a remarkable nine year run,” said GCC Board of Trustees President Dr. Armine Hacopian. “During his tenure, his steady, patient, student-focused, collegial approach to decision-making has made a positive difference that will benefit this institution for years to come.”

A U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam, Dr. Viar spent four decades working on behalf of community colleges and public education policy leaders beginning with the Illinois Community College Trustees Association, as chief executive of the California Community College Trustees Association, and as executive director of the Association of Community College Trustees in Washington D.C. Since returning to California in 1990, he has served on numerous statewide consultation committees, president of the National Council of State Community College Association Directors and as a member of the boards of directors for the Campaign for College Opportunity, The Federal Technology Center, and the Community College Leadership Development Initiative, and the Uniquely Abled Project.

“It’s difficult to overstate the contributions David Viar has made to community colleges nationally and particularly in California,” said Larry Galizio current president/CEO of the Community College League of California. “His expertise in board-CEO relations is unparalleled, and his exacting standards combined with his even-tempered demeanor make him that rare leader who is universally respected and admired.”

Dr. Viar’s love of community and commitment to leadership benefited Glendale through his service as a member of the Glendale Sunrise Rotary Club, Glendale Fire Foundation board, and the Glendale YMCA board. He has been recognized as Man of the Year by the Glendale Latino Association and Community Leader by the YMCA of Glendale.

Dr. Viar’s announced retirement sets off a series of events to find his replacement. The GCC Board of Trustees is expected to select an executive search firm at its October 19 meeting to assist with the process to find qualified candidates with the selection of a new CEO likely to come at the Board’s May 17, 2022 meeting about one month before Dr. Viar’s retirement becomes effective.

The search for a successor will include feedback from the college faculty and staff with whom he has built strong relationships. “From the first day I met Dr. Viar in 2013, I knew his tenure at Glendale College would be a good one,” said Emily Haraldson president of the Glendale College Guild, which represents the college’s 850 full-time and part-time instructors. “He brought a sense of collaboration to our college and worked in cooperation with our shared governance process and campus leaders. Dr. Viar has been an invaluable asset to our college community, and he will be missed.”

“Dr. Viar provided Glendale Community College with extremely insightful and stable leadership throughout his tenure as superintendent/president, and especially during the past two very difficult years. As senate president, it was my good fortune to have been able to work with him and I enjoyed our conversations very much,” said Roger Dickes, GCC Academic Senate President.

“Dr. Viar has a heart of service. He built friendships, set a high standard of performance, and built a legacy that shows Glendale Community College is a premier academic institution,” said Narbeh Nazari, president of GCC’s Classified School Employees Association. “It has been an honor and privilege for me to have had the opportunity to work with him.”

Dr. Viar’s retirement will allow him more time to spend with Jane Viar, his wife of 47 years, his son and daughter-in-law Justin and Adrianne, and granddaughter, Marlowe. He also plans to dedicate several hours each week to maintaining the yard in his Glendale home, although he promises Jane to take breaks for a game of Scrabble or two.