25 apply for top St. Petersburg College position

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker is one of 25 applicants to become St. Petersburg College's next president.

Applications were due by midnight Tuesday.

Baker's references include Pinellas schools superintendent Julie Janssen, University of North Florida president and former Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney, U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young and Curt Carlson, the president of the worldwide research firm SRI International.

A 13-member search committee is expected to cull the list of applicants to a handful of finalists early next year. A successor to current president Carl Kuttler, who is retiring, could be named by spring.

Other applicants include:

• William D. Law, the current president of Tallahassee Community College and a former St. Petersburg College vice president.

• Lance Bolton, president of Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colo.

• Harry Sikorski, chief development officer of Farmingdale State College in Farmingdale, N.Y.

• Timothy Meyer, chancellor of Oakland Community College in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

• Thomas Keegan, president of Peninsula College in Port Angeles, Wash.

• Joseph Bragin, provost of Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Mo.

• John Balog, vice president for student life of Jacksonville University.

• Timothy Beard, vice president for student enrollment of Pasco-Hernando Community College.