F. Dominic Dottavio, Ph.D., became Tarleton State University’s 15th president on August 1, 2008.

As Tarleton’s chief executive officer, Dr. Dottavio supervises more than 1,200 employees, manages a $118.6 million annual budget and provides vision for a comprehensive curriculum for approximately 10,000 students located at sites in Stephenville, Killeen, Fort Worth, Waco, Granbury and Thurber.

From 2003-2008, Dr. Dottavio served as president of Heidelberg College, a 158-year-old private college in Tiffin, Ohio. While at Heidelberg, he led student success, strategic enrollment management, fundraising and academic program expansion initiatives.

Dr. Dottavio also served as the chief executive officer of The Ohio State University at Marion, one of five campuses in the Ohio State University System.

During his time at Ohio State, the Marion campus expanded to include a new site in an adjacent county and an enterprise center that focused on workforce development and economic vitalization issues. A new library, technology center and childcare laboratory were also constructed and the campus received a $10 million gift, which was one of the largest ever given to the Ohio State system.

Dr. Dottavio also served as chief scientist for the Southeast Region of the National Park Service. In that position, he led efforts to develop research programs in rural economic development, global climate change, endangered species reintroductions, coastal zone management, ecosystem restoration, conservation biology, feral animal and exotic plant control as well as a variety of other areas.

Dr. Dottavio has degrees from The Ohio State University, Purdue University and Yale University.

Dr. Dottavio is married to Dr. C. Lisette Dottavio, a CPA and senior tax accountant. The Dottavios have two grown children, Aaron and Adrea.