QU Announces Appointment of Phil Conover As Acting President
Quincy University’s Board of Trustees has appointed Phil Conover as Acting President effective May 15, 2017. Conover has been serving in the role of Chief Operating Officer since December 1, 2016. Dr. Robert Gervasi, QU’s 22nd President and the only lay person to hold the position, announced his resignation in March after accepting the presidency of Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, OH. The Board of Trustees will begin a search for the university’s 23rd President in the coming months with hope that a new President will be on board prior to the start of the 2018-2019 school year.
“Phil has been a tremendous asset to QU in the past five months and we are delighted that he has agreed to serve in this capacity until a new President is hired,” said Del Mitchell, QU Board of Trustees vice-chair. “Dr. Gervasi has accomplished a great deal in his nine years at QU and we thank him for his dedication to the institution. We are confident that Phil will keep the university moving forward in a positive direction.”
“These past nine years have been extremely rewarding and I will cherish the connections I have made here,” said Dr. Robert Gervasi. “I know that the best days for Quincy University are still ahead and I wish the university nothing but the best.”
Since arriving at QU, Conover has helped to organize the reboot efforts of the university’s financial recovery plan. In addition, he has been instrumental in working out agreements for new programs in collaboration with local community colleges while increasing the university’s marketing and admissions efforts.
“I am excited about the future of Quincy University. We have outstanding programs and a very dedicated faculty and staff that are working hard every day to make QU a great place for students to learn,” said Phil Conover. “I am looking forward to building upon the foundation set forth by the executive leadership team and the board of trustees.”
Conover has an extensive background in higher education including serving as a member and vice-chair of QU’s Board of Trustees and as interim vice president of instruction for John Wood Community College. He was also interim president of the Great River Economic Development Foundation.
Conover attended Illinois State University and graduated from Arizona State University with a BA in history and a MA in guidance and counseling. He taught and coached in several local high schools during his career. He also worked at QND as basketball coach, dean of students, and assistant principal. He later worked as a financial advisor at Blunt Ellis & Loewi and eventually retired from Wachovia Securities. Conover served as QU Annual Fund Chair with his brother Joe in 2004. He has served the community as a board member of John Wood Community College, GREDF, Quincy Notre Dame High School, and Blessing Hospital.
