Dave Harby knows a lot about the community college mission and the potential of community college graduates. He was named DACC’s Distinguished Alumnus in February and became the President of the Illinois Community College Trustees Association in July, 2010. In June 2012 he received the ICCTA Ray Hartstein Trustee Achievement Award given in recognition of exemplary service by a currently-serving community college board member. He also received the 2012 Central Regional Trustee Leadership Award given by the Association of Community College Trustees.

Mr. Harby is a 1974 graduate of Danville Junior College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Illinois State University in 1976 and became a Country Financial Representative, opening his own business, in 1977. All three of his children took courses at DACC, two of them receiving Associate degrees before transferring to four-year institutions.

Since 1999, Mr. Harby has been a member of the Board of Trustees of Danville Area Community Collegeand was selected by his peers to be Vice Chair in 2005. During his tenure, the Board has approved nearly 30 new or updated programs, managed enrollment growth in the double digits, and negotiated the twisting road of a turbulent economy.

Being a member of the DACC Board of Trustees was not Mr. Harby’s first foray into public and community service, nor will it be his last. He has served on numerous local boards, both elected and volunteer, including the Vermilion County Board, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the United Way, and the Mental Health 708 Board. He currently serves as President of the Catlin School District Foundation.

With his years of community service as an indicator, it seems inevitable that Mr. Harby would choose to involve himself in the statewide mission and success of community colleges. He has served the ICCTA in many capacities over the years. He was the Chair of the East Central Region in 2008-2009. As Regional Chair, he arranged for former Governor Jim Edgar to address the Regional meeting held at DACC in April 2009. He has served on both the Public Relations Committee and on the Governmental Relations Committee. Mr. Harby actively participates in lobbying activities on behalf of the community college system in both the State and National capitols. He served as Vice Chair for the past year, preparing for his role as Chair of the state-wide organization.

The ICCTA is a statewide organization created in 1970 as the voice of the State's community college boards. ICCTA membership is comprised of trustees from all 39 public community college districts throughout Illinois.

The ACCT Central Region is comprised of more than 200 two-year institutions in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. ACCT represents more than 6,500 elected and appointed trustees who govern over 1,200 Community, Technical, and Junior colleges in the United States, Canada and England, with enrollment of more than 11 million students.