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Office of the President

From the President

Tracy Pierner

It’s an exciting time to be a part of the Blackhawk Technical College family – a time of transition and growth. Our promise to every student that walks through the door is to provide an opportunity to build a future through flexible education in a supportive environment. 

College and learning environments are not a one-size-fits-all idea. At Blackhawk, we have part-time and full-time students; we have working adults in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and older, as well as high school graduates; we have people going back to school to earn a certificate for their job, and we have people who are learning an entirely new career. We understand that the education and training you receive at Blackhawk Technical College is often not your end goal, but rather a pathway to help you achieve the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to succeed. 

Blackhawk's flexible education is designed to create more options for you whether it’s scheduling additional online courses, allowing you to attend class through interactive video or web stream called MyEdChoice, or offering a flex lab where attendance can be customized around your life. Our diverse learning environment is dedicated to supporting you reach your goals.

In addition to offering you more flexibility, we take great pride in the supportive environment our faculty and staff maintain for our students. We are here for you… for the times when there are bumps, curves or obstacles to overcome. Our promise is to provide you with the tools, support, guidance, and seamless processes that puts your preparation, your education, and your skills at the center of all we do. 

Whether you are here to begin a program that leads to the workforce or to take advantage of our articulation agreements with our regional college and university partners, Blackhawk Technical College is the place to be. Our tomorrow starts today.   

Tracy Pierner, Ph.D.
President

About Dr. Tracy Pierner

Dr. Tracy Pierner currently serves as the President of Blackhawk Technical College, returning to his home state and the Wisconsin Technical College System where he began his career in higher education. Before taking on his role at Blackhawk Technical College, Dr. Pierner served as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Henry Ford College, Dearborn, Michigan, overseeing all academic programs, online learning, the library, faculty development, tutoring, workforce development, and continuing education. While in this role, he served on the Boards of the Workforce Intelligence Network and Southeast Michigan Community Alliance, State of Michigan Project Lead the Way Executive Leadership Committee, and the business advisory board of the Advanced Technology Academy.

Prior to Henry Ford College, Dr. Pierner served as Dean of Technical Education for Aiken Technical College in Aiken, South Carolina, where he was responsible for technical education academic programs and courses and the development of training partnerships with business and industry. Working with the computer technology, welding, and industrial maintenance faculty, Dr. Pierner helped implement a flexible delivery approach to education that culminated in the faculty winning the A. Wade Martin Innovator of the Year Award in 2012. His leadership was recognized by the South Carolina Technical Education Association as the Administrator of the Year in 2011-2012 and Administrator of the Year at Aiken Technical College. 

In 1999, Dr. Pierner entered higher education as an instructor in Engineering Technology at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he created an Automation Engineering Technology program and helped redesign the Electromechanical Technology program. During his tenure, he was part of the team that designed the Manufacturing Technology Center, redesigned the educational delivery model for four associate degree programs to a flexible and modular delivery paradigm, and created several unique industry/education partnerships.

Before entering higher education, Dr. Pierner was an engineer at Rockwell Automation in their Milwaukee, Mequon, Appleton, Wisconsin, and Cleveland, Ohio, facilities. Other experiences include engineering consultation with the research and engineering arm of Kimberly-Clark Corp. in Neenah, Wisconsin, and serving in the Army Reserves.

He holds a Ph.D. in Technology Management - Manufacturing Systems from Indiana State University, a Master's degree in Engineering from Case Western Reserve University, and a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin.

 

Contact Information

Tracy Pierner, Ph.D.
President
(608) 757-7772
Email President's Office


Julie Barreau
Assistant to the President/District Board
(608) 757-7772
jbarreau@blackhawk.edu


Jim Nemeth
Vice President of Finance and Operations/CFO
(608) 757-7700 
jnemeth@blackhawk.edu


Karen R. Schmitt, Ph.D.
Vice President of Academic Affairs
(608) 757-7737
kschmitt3@blackhawk.edu


Kathleen Broske
Executive Director of Human Resources and Organizational Development
(608) 757-7773
kbroske@blackhawk.edu


Anthony Landowski
Executive Director of Student Services
(608) 757-7726
alandowski@blackhawk.edu


Jon Tysse, Ed.D.
Executive Director of Institutional Research & Effectiveness
(608) 757-7754
jtysse@blackhawk.edu


Liz Paulsen
Executive Director of Marketing & Communications
(608) 757-7769
lpaulsen@blackhawk.edu


Lisa Hurda
Director of Advancement & Foundation
BTC Foundation
(608) 757-7704
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