Welcome, Chair Tej Dhawan!

Des Moines entrepreneur and business innovator Tej Dhawan ’91 was elected chair of Central’s board of trustees effective July 1, 2018. Dhawan succeeds chair Lanny Little ’74.

Dhawan was student body president as an undergrad. He joined the trustees in 2002 after six years of service on the college’s National Advisory Council. Dhawan chaired the board’s finance committee from 2009-12 and has served on board committees for student development, executive compensation, investment and trusteeship and on the executive committee. He was also a board representative on the search committee that brought President Mark Putnam to the college in 2010. Dhawan is currently chief data officer for the Principal Financial Group.

“The amount of service to the college and number of leadership roles Tej has already filled is really impressive,” Little says. “He has a deep, abiding commitment to Central and carries the right mindset to fulfill the role of the chair, cherishing the proud traditions of our past while planning for the innovations that will help the college thrive in the future.”

During its April meeting, the Central College Board of Trustees also honored outgoing board chair Little by naming him chair emeritus. Although leaving the chair position, Little will continue to serve on the board.

Little, of Bonita Springs, Florida, has a long banking career. He currently serves as an independent consultant for Core Value Banking. He served as Central’s board chair since 2011.