At the suggestion of the board’s chairperson, the Rev. Robert Cayton has been appointed to the Beaufort County Community College Board of Trustees.

At Monday’s regular meeting of the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners, the board voted to install Cayton in the seat that Cynthia Davis, who was appointed to the Board of Trustees and recently resigned, left empty.

Cayton has served as a Beaufort County commissioner, as well as having a long prior tenure on the Board of Trustees. He was appointed to the board by county commissioners in 1991, served until 2003 when he was appointed by then-Gov. Mike Easley to continue serving on the board until 2014.

Cayton’s institutional knowledge determined the request to commissioners to reappoint him to the board, according to a letter from Board of Trustees Chairperson Laura Staton.

“When making business, financial, strategic planning and personnel decisions for the college, such seasoned experience is critical,” Staton wrote in a letter of recommendation to commissioners’ Chairman Jerry Langley.

The Board of Trustees is currently undergoing a search for a new president, as earlier this year, current President Dr. Barbara Tansey announced her retirement at the end of the 2016-17 school year.

Cayton has assisted with three college president searches in the past.

“As the board searches for a new president, Rev. Cayton will help guide the process, as he has helped with searches for both BCCC and Barton College,” stated a press release from the community college.

Commissioners voted 6-1 to approve Cayton’s appointment. Commissioner Gary Brinn was the sole dissenting vote.