Cornell College President Lives Up to His Legendary Reputation

by Romilda Perfidio

With all the responsibility he has as a University President, his “dedication is dumbfounding” stated Jason Wright, Executive Director of Cedar Rapids Symphony, when asked to describe current President of Cornell College, Dr. Leslie H. Garner Jr. As our telephone conversation continued, Wright revealed how he was truly moved by Dr. Garner’s volunteer efforts during the Dr.’s service on the Board of Directors for the Cedar Rapids Symphony in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, by stating, “He was the hardest working volunteer the symphony ever had.” The Executive Director struck a cord of the heart when he used numerous complimentary words to describe his admiration for Dr. Garner. Most people could only aspire to leave such a positive, lasting impression on another human being. In this case however, many impressions have been left by this seemingly, great guy, called Dr. Leslie H. Garner Jr.

The Cedar Rapids Symphony Board of Directors was one of many
boards Dr. Garner belonged to throughout his prestigious volunteer career. From 1989-2004, Dr. Garner has dedicated his free time to thirteen organizations and societies. Jean Bradons, office manager for The Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce, declares Dr. Garner as an “absolutely outstanding individual.” Bradons, along with many past volunteer colleagues I spoke with, had incredibly wonderful comments about Dr. Garner’s contributions. One enthusiastic individual I spoke with on the phone insisted she send me an e-mail with a direct quote. Christine Harstad, President and CSO of the Junior Achievement of East Central Iowa, wanted her comments to be thoughtful and reflect her fondness of Dr. Garner’s work. The President affirms, “since joining the Junior Achievement Board of Trustees, Dr. Leslie Garner has provided tremendous leadership and educational insight to our organization. In addition to his personal commitment to the mission of Junior Achievement, Dr. Garner creates opportunities for both Cornell College students and faculty to add value - on many levels - in supporting JA economic literacy programs in our local schools.” My curiosity was peeked by Harstad’s willingness to assist and dedicate time from her busy schedule. Was there anyone who didn’t like this guy? It would be difficult to find someone as I continued my research.

Dr. Garner was a board member for Miracles in Motion, a not for profit therapeutic horseback riding organization, located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from 1997-2000. The Program Director, Sue Bock, remembers Dr. Garner fondly. I spoke with her on the phone as she recounted the Dr.’s time with the organization. According to Bock, Dr. Garner was very supportive of the program and well liked by everyone on the board. She states, “he was instrumental in the strategic planning” of the organization. Dr. Garner also served on the Board of Trustees for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of North Carolina, where his responsibilities included approving budgets and expenditures, according to the Executive Assistant’s office. Linda Mann, office manger for the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce, reminisced with me over the phone. She discussed Dr. Garner’s responsibilities during his service on the Board of Directors. As we spoke, she said, “his plaque is over on the wall, hold on a second.” I heard a bang, as if she accidentally dropped the phone rather harshly. The clomping of her shoes moving quickly across the floor was vivid in the background. She returned within a few seconds, slightly out of breath, confirming the Dr.’s status, “Chairman of the Board 1992,” Mann said. Thankfully she didn’t sense the struggle in me to maintain a straight face, as I found her to be delightfully humorous. She was most charming and I thanked her for her eagerness to assist me.

It was difficult to verify all the boards Dr. Garner participated with. Several attempts were made to contact the following organizations to no avail; The Iowa Child Institute, Korean American Friendship Society, Cities in Schools of North Carolina, Mid America Housing Parternship and Vision 2000 Steering Committee. After several phone and e-mail attempts, I was unable to verify these organizations. No one returned my call. When I contacted Mid America Housing Partnership, there was a temporary employee, Jennifer, filling in for the assistant to the Vice President, who was unable to work the computer system. I asked to be redirected to someone who could assist me and was told to call back when the regular girl comes back to work. I followed up but was unsuccessful in receiving a return call.

This theme continued as my research shifted to Dr. Garner’s employment history. What began as a glowing review for the good Dr., quickly changed and sparked a glimmer of skepticism. According to Dr. Gardner, he was previously employed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1977- 1987. His position’s included Lecturer/Instructor of Business Administration, Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Director of Young Executives Institute and Co-Director of University Management Development Program. I contacted the department heads first and was redirected to Human Resources. Peggy Scott, a records coordinator in the records department of Human Resources at Chapel Hill, was unable to locate Dr. Leslie Garner in her computer database. I hesitated to respond as a wave of endless questions controlled my thoughts…. Could this be? He’s not in the system? Before I uttered any one of them aloud, Scott said, “How far back was this?” Suddenly a light bulb went off in my head. Of course, I thought to myself, it has been several years and this information may take a while to track. I replied, “1977.” Scott informed me that her database only contained current information of students and I needed to contact Barbara Fields, faculty records coordinator. When I spoke to Fields on the phone, she confirmed that Dr. Garner was indeed in the school database. She verified he was “listed in the system as a student, alumni, and under Human Resources,” which meant he was employed at Chapel Hill. Garner maintained his crisp, clean image as the likable “guy next door.”

North Carolina Wesleyan College, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina is where Garner presided as President from 1987-1994, according to his resume. I contacted the office of the President at Wesleyan and was directed to Darrell Whitley, Director of Human Resources. I’ve since left two phone messages at his office and sent an e-mail. He did not respond to my queries.

Garner’s flourishing career and volunteer background match his academic accomplishments. As mentioned earlier, Garner was a student at the University of North Carolina. He graduated with honors and a Bachelor of Arts in History in 1972, confirms the registrar’s office at North Carolina. He went on to receive a Masters in Public Policy from the prestigious John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1974 and a Ph.D. in Public Policy in 1985 at Harvard University, according to the registrar’s office. Garner’s ability to excel as a young student was apparent through his many honorable achievements. He belonged to the Fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa, where he received the Morehead Scholar and Governor’s Award both confirmed by the Society’s records department. Garner also received the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award in 1991 by the General Alumni Association, according to the association’s records department. His academic achievements laid the foundation for his future success and continue to be an integral part of his life today.

Currently Dr. Leslie Garner holds the office of the President at Cornell University in Mount Vernon, Iowa and has for the past 10 years. He has published numerous articles and professional publications, including two books, Leadership in Human Services and The Coastal Plains; Writing on the Cultures of Eastern North Carolina. Dr. Garner’s publications touch on social and industrial policies as well as management and success. Some of his articles can be found in professional journals such as The New England Journal of Human Services and The Journal of State Government. He has contributed countless hours of dedication to organizations and to his professional career that puts him a step above most individuals. Dr. Garner is truly an inspiration to everyone he meets as I discovered while researching this piece.
Is it possible for one person to touch so many lives positively? I’ll admit, I was reluctant at first, but I wasn’t able to come across anyone who knew Dr. Garner personally and didn’t want to make a comment. Sometimes, I didn’t even have to ask. The accolades flowed from the mouths of those who knew the Dr. best. I could hear the excitement in their voices when I said, “could you tell me a little bit about him?” I could barely finish my sentence before the praise began. As I continued questioning colleagues of the Dr., I had to smarten up as I prepared myself before I dialed the number, so I could begin writing immediately. I didn’t want to miss a precious word, describing how much each and every person admired this man. I can only hope I’ve replicated the portrait he has painted for so many lives he has touched.