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Dr. Eddie Bland addressed the Snyder ISD board of trustees Tuesday after being named the lone finalist for the Snyder position.
Dr. Eddie Bland, a native of Haskell County, on Tuesday was named the lone finalist for the Snyder ISD superintendent post.
Snyder ISD trustees voted unanimously to offer a contract to Bland following the state-mandated 21-day waiting period.
Bland is currently the superintendent in Bridgeport, where he has spent the past 11 years.
Before that he served as superintendent in Haskell for four years.
He began his career in education as a social studies teacher with the Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD in 1993 and continued as a principal at Knox City from 1996-1999.
He was assistant superintendent at Haskell for three years before being named superintendent in June 2002.
Bland grew up in Rochester, and his wife, Terri, is from Slaton.
“I’m excited about this,” Bland said. “West Texas is in my DNA. I will treat this job as the best one I ever had, just as I have done in Bridgeport. I love black and gold.”
Bland said all decisions will focus on one thing.
“We’ll work hard to get the results we want to get and there’s just one question we have to ask and that’s what is best for our kids,” he said.
Board president Ralph Ramon previously said the district wanted to hire someone active in the community. Bland served on the Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation board of directors, serving as president for two years. He is also a member of the Lions Club, United Way of Wise County board of directors and the board of directors of the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Wise and Parker counties.
He has served in a number of positions with state education groups and on the legislative advisory committee for former State Sen. Robert Duncan.
Before entering education, Bland managed the foreclosed real estate department for a savings and loan in the Metroplex in the 1980s.
Bland earned a doctorate degree in education administration from the University of North Texas and a B.B.A. in finance and master of education in teaching from the University of Texas at Arlington.
He received his superintendent certification from Texas Tech University.
Following the waiting period, Bland’s salary and benefits will be determined.
In a related matter, the board accepted the formal resignation of Superintendent Jim Kirkland with the effective date to be determined when Bland begins in Snyder.
Kirkland said earlier that he would be retiring no later than June 30.