\ "olume 41 . , umber 1 Thursda). J:rn. 29. 1987
Mayor Stone spea ks out
Page J
Jazz singer comes to town
Cindy McNaughton photo Pretldentlal power--N•w NIC President Rober1 Bennett takes time out to rlH his mu1cl11 In the college weight room.
Bennett takes over college reins by Mike Carey
Dr. Robert Bcnncu. 49, ani,'Cd on Jan. 8, 10 assume dulies as NIC'1 rif1h prcsidenl In its 53-year his1 ory. Typically for Bcn.oen. be I ii the ground running and has no1 slowed a slcp during his inillal thr« weeks. A1hlellcally 1rim and bristling with energy, Bcnnell challenaed 160 anendccs at a Coeur d' Alene Chamber of Commerce: luncheon on Jan. 14 10 send their lliab school graduates 10 NIC for the rirsl 1wo )'cars. ''Sa\'e a dollar and cam a dollar," he said. "Education is a bwintU, and m())l of our $14 million budget stays in the community-making jobs.'' Bcnnen described his first impressions of Coeur d'Alene and NIC as " feeling welcome from 1bc momenl of my fint vui1. And 1be people I've mc1-1heir pride in 1hls 1own and 1he college u 1mprCSl>l\'e. " he wd. . When qumcd 1bou1 his plans for NIC, Bcn.oc:Hsaid ti 111·:u much 100 early 10 l:l)' firm plans and that he
brouf,ht no preconceh'Cd plan "'1U'I !um. HIS lint order of busin~ 1s 10 become 111cll :icquainted '-1lb ha su!f. he said. He s t ~ that he 1$ not a nuracle ,i.ork~. ''The 1deu arc Alrnd, here," he said. "M) job u 10 find and implement them.'' Bennett IUSCSSCS h1> lodmhip style u lhAl of a caring, p111gma1k adnurusmuor "'ho v.ants to bear people's 1dca.s~l)C'dall) from skeptics "'no doubl bu rcccp1h it) . He "' :ints people to \. no"' him 3S ll IJl3.D who appr03cbcs a job "' 1th bis slCC' cs rolled up 3.Dd a ...;mngllC$$ to get his lunds dirty. The 1urmo1l 1n , IC's l'C\.~n, p;ut pascs oo co=n for Bcnne11 He says th111 he 1s not haunted b) an)· lingering memories or by the prCSCJlce of Im prcdc..~r, Ban) &huler. "' bo niD resides in Coeur d'Alene "I prefer 10 conceorra1c on the future and DOI tbt
p&sl,"
be said.
A rC&Ula.r pby~cal filncss program a.s es1ential 10 physical and menw well-bcin1. Bennc11 maintains. He is a capable nonemen ("'estcm saddle) who enjoys riding in SO.mile endurance races, and he also runs 10-km ro:id rares. He h.u already expressed a d~ire to emu a team of SIC staff members in 1hc Blooms<13) run Dat spnng.
At Gogebic Commun11y College, where he was president for the p;lSl three years, '°me of the secretancs abandoned taking 1hcir breaks in the coffee lounge 10 take brisk outdoor •..,,alks. Bcnne11 o~cd !hat they usually returned laughing, talking 3IllllUUcl) and refreshed. Beoneu and llis wife. Donna. are s1aying a1 the Coeur d'Alene North v.•hile they look lfor a pcrmaneni home in the atC3.