Blackboard announced on Monday that William L. Ballhaus has been named chairman, president and CEO of the edtech company. Ballhaus replaces Jay Bhatt, who has served as Blackboard CEO since 2012. Ballhaus most recently served as CEO of SRA International.
In a statement, Ballhaus praised Blackboard’s position and expertise in the edtech industry. “I look forward to building on Blackboard’s strong foundation and being the partner that students and educators alike continue to count on to innovate on their behalf,” he said.
Bhatt, who will continue as an advisor in order to aid the transition in leadership, cited the toll of his commute from Boston to D.C. as being a reason for his leaving. “The Board and I agree that this is the right time for my transition, and that Bill is the right leader to take Blackboard forward into its next phase of growth,” he said.
The company made a concurrent board appointment announcement — Brian Napack, director since 2012, has now been named Vice Chairman of the Board.
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