Timothy Gerald Quinn

Timothy Gerald Quinn (born 7 February 1947) is an American educator who was president of Northwestern Michigan College (Traverse City, Michigan) and superintendent of Green Bay Public Schools (Wisconsin.) Dr. Quinn also founded the Michigan Leadership Institute, was the managing director of The Broad Center, and authored several books on the topic of educational leadership.
== Early life ==
Timothy Quinn was born on February 7, 1947, in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. He was born to Richard W. and Lucy (Resico) Quinn, the ninth of twelve children, and one of ten who survived to reach adulthood. His father farmed and managed a grocery store. He grew up in Armada Township, Michigan and attended St. Clement’s Parochial School and Romeo High School in Romeo, Michigan.
The first in his family to attend college, Quinn earned bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature in 1969 and a master’s degree in education in 1971 from Eastern Michigan University. He earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership from The University of Michigan in 1977. 
Quinn married the late Mary (Ferzacca) Pierce in 1971. They had two children, Anthony and Emily (both public school administrators), and later divorced. He married Michelle Keith in 2015. They have five grandchildren.
== Career ==
=== Early career (1969–1980) ===
Dr. Quinn began his career as an English teacher and football coach for the Ypsilanti Public School District (Michigan), from 1969 to 1971. He was assistant principal and athletic director at Anchor Bay Community Schools (Fair Haven, Michigan) from 1971 to 1974. From 1974 to 1980 he was high school principal and assistant superintendent for the Napoleon Community Schools (Michigan.) 
=== Public leadership (1980–1998) ===
In 1980, at age 32, he was selected as the superintendent of the Green Bay Area Public Schools, a 20,000 student district, where he served until 1986. During his tenure at Green Bay, student achievement (such as on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills) increased dramatically. Quinn accepted an appointment as Wisconsin’s Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1986 to 1988. 
In 1988, he joined Northwestern Michigan College, a community college, where he served as vice- president for instruction for one year and then as president from 1989 to 1996. Under his leadership at Northwestern Michigan College, NMC opened its art museum in 1991, the Dennos Museum Center, and the NMC University Center in 1995, which brought over 50 bachelor’s and master’s programs to the region through a combination of distance learning and on-site courses. The College’s operating millage was renewed in perpetuity in 1993. The Commitment Scholarship Program was begun in 1993, which promises free tuition to area 9th graders who are first-generation students, show potential, and have financial need. To date, over 1500 students have participated in the program. Upon his departure from the college, he was the second president in NMC’s 50-year history to be awarded President Emeritus status.
Dr. Quinn joined The University of Michigan’s new Academic Outreach program as its administrative director in 1996, to create partnerships between the U-M and other Michigan colleges and universities for the development of educational programs via alternative instructional delivery systems, which was a pioneering concept at the time.
In this role, he founded the Michigan Virtual Automotive College. In 1998, he was instrumental in founding Michigan Virtual, which is a leader in providing online and blended student learning and professional development. Twenty years later, Michigan Virtual had helped over 250,000 people receive online instruction, and Dr. Quinn was recognized with the Founders Award from the organization.
=== Private sector career (1998–present) ===
In 1998, Dr. Quinn began his own business, the Michigan Leadership Institute, which he owned and headed, then sold in 2008. Under MLI, he developed the SUPES Academy, a preparation program for aspiring school superintendents.
In 2001, he was contracted by The Broad Center (funded by The Broad Foundation, Los Angeles, California) to help develop and serve as managing director of the Broad Superintendents Academy, which he did until 2009. The Academy prepared and supported leaders from education and the private, non-profit, and military sectors to become superintendents of the nation’s largest urban school districts. In 2019, The Broad Foundation endowed Yale University School of Management with funding to continue.
== Publications ==
Since retiring, Quinn has written several books on educational leadership: 
* In the Arena: Building the Skills for Peak Performance in Leading Schools and Systems (October 23, 2010)
* The Superintendent Search Process: A Guide to Getting the Job and Getting Off to a Great Start (November 8, 2010)
* Peak Performing Governance Teams: Creating an Effective Board/Superintendent Partnership (January 8, 2011)
* Within Reach: Leadership Lessons in School Reform from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (September 6, 2011)
* Tales from the Top: Stories Only School Superintendents Could Tell (August 24, 2021)
== Honors, awards and appointments ==
Timothy Quinn was awarded honorary doctoral degrees for his outstanding leadership in the field of education from:
* Central Michigan University (1993)
* Eastern Michigan University (1994)
* Grand Valley State University (1997)
Additional awards include:
* Founders Award, Michigan Virtual, 2018, for “Vision in Creating Michigan Virtual and Changing the Landscape of Education”
* Eastern Michigan University Outstanding Young Alumni Award, 1982"61st Annual EMU Alumni Awards, Page 7" 
Significant professional appointments include:
* Member, Michigan School Finance Research Collaborative, 2017-2020 
* Michigan’s K-14 representative to Education Commission of the States (Gubernatorial appointment), 1989-1996
Category:1947 births
Category:American educators
Category:People from Mount Clemens, Michigan