Dr. A. R. Sullivan, President/CEO
The Sullivan University
System
3101 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40205
Fax: (502) 454-4880
E-mail: ars@sullivan.edu
POSITION:
President and Chief Executive
Officer of The Sullivan University System, which is composed of three
educational institutions with nearly 7,300 students and a faculty and staff of
over 900. Sullivan University is
a bachelor and master’s degree granting collegiate institution with three
campuses in Louisville, Lexington and Fort Knox, Kentucky accredited by the
Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
(SACS) to award associate, bachelor, and master’s degrees and licensed by the Kentucky
Council on Postsecondary Education. The
Sullivan University Louisville campus houses its nationally recognized National
Center for Hospitality Studies and the International Center for Dispute
Resolution. Spencerian College,
an associate degree granting allied health and technology career college and is
nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and
Schools (ACICS). Spencerian has
campuses in Louisville and Lexington. Louisville Technical Institute, an
associate degree granting college is nationally accredited by the Accrediting
Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). Louisville Tech has two campuses in Louisville.
BACKGROUND – PROFESSIONAL:
Dr. Sullivan has a 40-year career in
higher education. He started in
postsecondary education as an admissions officer for a school he now heads,
Spencerian College. In 1962, he founded
Sullivan University (then Sullivan Business College) and greeted on the first
day it opened seven students along with five faculty members. Sullivan University’s main campus is
currently located on a multi-million dollar campus in Louisville. Sullivan University is the largest four-year
private college or university in Kentucky with an enrollment of nearly 5,000
students and has campus locations in Louisville, Lexington, and Ft. Knox. The two additional colleges, The Louisville
Technical Institute and Spencerian College, are each located on their own
suburban campuses.
BACKGROUND – PERSONAL:
Dr. Sullivan is a Louisville native,
a graduate of Louisville Male High School, the University of Kentucky, and has
received a Doctorate (D.B.A.) from Johnson & Wales University in Rhode
Island. He has two grown children both
actively involved in education administration and three grandchildren. His son, Glenn, is Executive Vice President
of The Sullivan University System and his daughter, Lisa, is Director of Public
Relations and Placement for Sullivan University’s Early Childhood and Professional
Nanny Programs.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:
·
Board
Member – Louisville Workforce Investment Board (1999-2004)
·
Board
Member – Greater Louisville, Inc. (Louisville Chamber of Commerce)
(1999-2004)
·
Board
of Trustees: Potomac College,
Washington, DC (1994-2003)
·
Ernst
& Young Entrepreneur-of-the-Year Award Recipient (1999)
Inducted into Entrepreneur-of-the-Year International
Hall of Fame (1999)
·
Member
of Louisville/Jefferson County Workforce Development Council (1998-1999)
·
Board
of Trustees: International College, Florida
(1997-1998)
·
Board
of Trustees: Florida Metropolitan
University System (1995-1999)
·
Co-chair
and Scholarship Chairman: Kentuckiana
Workforce Institute Committee on Education (1992-1999)
·
Founding
Member: Private Education Research
Council (1974 to present)
·
Commission
Member: American Council on
Education-Commission on Education Credit & Credentials (1989 to 1996)
·
Board
Member and Vice President: The
Robinhood Project (1990-1995)
·
Board
Member: National Association of Trade
and Technical Schools (1990-1991)
·
Committee
Chairman: Management Education
Committee for the Association of Independent Colleges and Schools (1989)
·
Committee
Member Jurisdiction Committee: Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (1989)
·
Commission
Member: National Commission on Higher
Education and the Adult Learner of the American Council on Education
(1986-1988)
·
Selected
“Business Person of the Year” by the Kentucky Business Education Association
(1986)
·
Elected
“Member of the Year” by the members of the Association of Independent Colleges
and Schools (1985)
·
Chairman
of the Board: Association of Independent Colleges and Schools (1985)
·
Board
Member: American Council on Education (1985-1986)
·
Council
Member: Education for Business Coordinating Council (EBCC) (1985-1987)
·
Board
of Trustees: Humana Hospital-Audubon
(1983-1985)
·
Chairman:
AICS Accrediting Commission (1970-1977)
·
Three-Term
Member and Past-Chairman: Kentucky
State Board for Proprietary Education which licenses nearly 200 proprietary
schools operating in Kentucky (1976-1987)
·
Past
President: Kentucky Association of Career Colleges and Schools (1984) (which
the year he was President was voted by NATTS as their outstanding state
association)
·
Winner
of the Baxandall Company’s “Idea of the Year Award” voted by members of the
Creative Service. Al is the only person
in the history of this award to have been voted the winner three times. This award is given for the best idea for
the advancement and promotion of career education. Also, second place winner three times.