ATLANTA – The University System of Georgia is looking to the private sector to lead Albany State University.
The system’s Board of Regents voted Monday to name business executive Robert Scott as Albany State’s next president.
Scott currently serves as president of research and development at The Kraft Heinz Co., where he has worked since 2021. Prior to joining Kraft Heinz, he was a divisional vice president at Abbott Nutrition and vice president at The Coca-Cola Co.
Before that Scott was a biology professor at Norfolk State University and an associate dean at Boston College and at Spelman College.
“Dr. Scott is an exceptional candidate, a results-driven leader whose vast research, higher education and corporate experience will help strengthen ASU’s impact in the community and across the state,” university system Chancellor Sonny Perdue said. “He has a unique blend of academic and industry acumen, traits that will nurture Albany State’s vital role as a regional workforce leader while celebrating its importance as a premier HBCU in Georgia.”
Albany State is one of three public Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Georgia. It has a $266 million annual economic impact on the Albany area, fostering economic development and a strong workforce that attracts and retains large-scale employers to the region.
The university has been led by interim President Lawrence Drake since last July. Drake replaced President Marion Ross Fedrick, who now serves as executive vice president and chief of staff to the president of Georgia State University.
Scott thanked Perdue and the Board of Regents for considering him for the post.
“As both a first-generation graduate and long-standing advocate for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, I’m deeply committed to advancing Albany State’s mission of fostering educational excellence and serving as a catalyst for economic growth in Southwest Georgia,” he said.
“Our ability to thrive as a university depends on how well we align the needs of our students, industries, government and the broader community. We will seek partnerships and prioritize programs that bring real value to our students, our faculty and the region we serve.”
The regents will hold a final vote on Scott’s appointment at a future board meeting no sooner than five days from naming him as the finalist.