New Career Center Director named

Columbia Area Career Center staff were the first to receive the announcement Tuesday morning, March 4:  Randall Gooch will be recommended to the Board of Education as the new career center director taking the place of Linda Rawlings who is retiring at the end of the 2013-14 school year after spending 20 years with Columbia Public Schools, 19 at the career center including the last four as the director.

Gooch, who holds an educational specialist degree in educational leadership from William Woods University, has been CACC assistant director since 2011. Prior to joining the administration at CACC, he was the director of Davis H. Hart Career Center in Mexico. He has also served as a commissioned officer in the US Army, worked in the corporate sector with Walmart, taught Industrial Technology in Centralia, worked as a counselor in the Mexico Public school district, and as a Vocational Resource Educator for Davis H. Hart Career Center. Randy is also active in the Missouri Council of Career and Technical Administrators in which he is currently past president.

Gooch was praised by Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education, Dr. Jolene Yoakum, Assistant superintendent of Human Resources, Dr.  Dana Clippard, and various selection committee members as being an outstanding candidate that will champion the vision and mission of Columbia Area Career Center.

Randy is married to Sarah and has three children Abby, Elisabeth and Katie.

Randy Gooch, named new career center director

Randy Gooch and Linda Rawlings, current Career Center director