Hal Wilde, PhD.

Dr. Harold R. “Hal” Wilde served as North Central’s president from March 1991 through December 2012. His nearly 22-year tenure as president is the second-longest in the College’s history. During Wilde’s more than two decades at the helm, North Central’s full-time undergraduate student enrollment doubled from 1,250 to 2,500 students. A prolific fundraiser, Wilde grew the College’s endowment from less than $10 million in 1991 to $95 million at the time of his retirement. He also secured funding for 13 endowed professorships across various disciplines, enabling the College to continue to attract and retain high-quality faculty.

During Wilde’s presidency, the College’s physical footprint grew from 500,000 to one million square feet. He oversaw 15 major construction projects, including the total renovation of Old Main, and the addition of marquee buildings like the Wentz Concert Hall and Fine Arts Center and Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.