Armando Valdez named sole finalist to replace Timothy Mottet as CSU Pueblo president
Armando Valdez, a USDA-Rural Development state director and San Luis Valley native, is the sole finalist in the search for the next Colorado State University Pueblo president.
Timothy Mottet, who has been CSU Pueblo's president since July 2017, is leaving the university at the end the year. While the CSU System Board of Governors named Valdez the sole finalist to replace Mottet on Thursday, Colorado law requires a 14-day waiting period before Valdez may be formally appointed.
Valdez had chaired the CSU System Board of Governors since June 2023, but stepped down to be considered in the CSU Pueblo president search. If formally appointed, he is slated to finish the remaining 2 ½ years on Mottet's term.
"During my time on the Board of Governors, I have always admired the hard work, dedication, and commitment of the faculty, staff, and administrators of CSU Pueblo," Valdez said in a news release. "Now, I get the opportunity to serve students and the community as part of their team."
Valdez previously taught in Adams State University's School of Business. He created and directed a health care administration program there in addition to assisting with development of an agribusiness program.
At Front Range Community College, he was a faculty member, program director, department chair and dean. Altogether, Valdez held teaching and leadership positions in higher education for over two decades prior to his fall 2021 retirement from Adams State University, according to the Adams State website.
"Anyone who knows Armando knows how passionate he is about the transformative potential of higher education – especially for First Generation and Hispanic students,” current CSU System Board of Governors Chair John Fischer said in the CSU System's news release.
U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Valdez to serve as Colorado's USDA-Rural Development director in November 2021. In addition to being a state director, Valdez continues to farm and ranch at Valdez Land & Livestock, LLC — a family operation in Conejos County.
The search for Mottet's successor began in August. It was a national search conducted by 14 individuals on the Search Advisory Committee. The committee brought forward three candidates to be interviewed by the Board of Governors.
None of those candidates were identified as "viable" during the search, according to the CSU System. This led to Valdez electing to resign from his Board of Governors seat and undertake an interview process identical to previously identified presidential candidates.
“We heard from the Pueblo campus that they don’t want to lose momentum or continuity during the presidential transition, and Armando will be able to step in on Day 1 with the knowledge and experience to keep the campus on track and moving forward,” Chancellor Tony Frank said in the news release.
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Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: CSU board names sole finalist for next CSU Pueblo president
