Dr. Gary Daynes Joins ISA as Strategic Partner

Dr. Gary Daynes has joined Ian Symmonds & Associates as a strategic partner. We are excited to welcome him to the ISA family where he will consult on strategic planning, visioning, program development, financial viability and enrollment management. Gary will office in the Piedmont Triad region in North Carolina.

Gary and ISA go back, way back in time. Ian first met Gary while working with Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah as a college client, where Gary served as a cabinet level leader. He then worked with Gary at Barton College in Wilson, North Carolina where Gary served for many years. Over the course of their nearly 15 year history, Gary and Ian have collaborated on numerous projects. His style, tenor, and tone are unmistakeable: thoughtful, reflective and forward-thinking. In short: a perfect fit for the ISA culture.

Gary’s addition to ISA will increase our organizational capacity to work with small, distinct schools, colleges and non-profits throughout the nation. It will add a geographic outpost for us on the US east coast, giving us a new access point for clients. And, it will add even more depth to our thought leadership, as Gary enjoys a long commitment to writing, identifying challenges and forecasting trends for our clients along the way.

Like ISA, he is committed to helping small schools and colleges thrive. He founded Back Porch Consulting to do just that.

In his over 25 years in higher education, Gary has been a professor, writer, entrepreneur, and school leader. He has served as a C-level officer to five presidents at three different colleges. He has been the board chair of five non-profits. And he has consulted with dozens of schools, colleges, churches, and non-profit organizations.

And, just like Ian, Gary writes. A lot. He is committed to drawing attention to the opportunities for small schools and communities, and advocating for the policies that can help them flourish.

Gary Daynes holds a PhD in American History from the University of Delaware. He has led civic engagement, learning community, and assessment initiatives, and has served as Provost, Vice President for Enrollment Management, and Vice President for Student Affairs. He has chaired the boards of charter schools, humanities councils, community development corporations, and congregations. And he has led economic development and entrepreneurship efforts in neighborhoods and small towns.