Sioux City, Iowa—The Morningside University Board of Directors has announced that Chad W. Benson (‘90), Interim President, is the next president of Morningside University. He will become the 14th president of Morningside in our 132-year history, effective March 18, 2026. 

Benson has served as Interim President since June 2025, guiding the university through a period of strategic progress and institutional advancement. Over the past several months, Board Chair Curt White conducted a university-wide survey and held multiple discussions with faculty, staff, and students to gather input on the qualities and priorities most important in our next president. The Executive Board carefully reviewed this feedback and made a recommendation to the Board of Directors, which then voted unanimously to appoint Chad Benson as our next president. 

“I am deeply honored to serve as the 14th president of Morningside University, the institution that shaped my life as a 1990 graduate and strengthened my belief that leadership is ultimately a calling to serve others and to steward institutions that change lives,” Benson said. “Morningside stands at an inflection point of opportunity. Together, we will keep Morningside in Motion, advancing academic excellence, expanding opportunity, strengthening financial resilience, and preparing students to lead with clarity and conviction in a rapidly changing world. Our commitment is simple: to pursue excellence every day in service of our students and the communities we serve.” 

During his interim presidency, Benson guided the strategic acquisition of St. Luke’s College, expanding Morningside’s healthcare and workforce-aligned academic programs across the region while strengthening the university’s long-standing commitment to service in Sioux City and the broader Midwest. The integration strengthens clinical partnerships, broadens degree pathways, and reinforces the university’s commitment to addressing critical workforce needs across the Midwest. 

He also led the advancement of a comprehensive university-wide enterprise resource planning (ERP) system modernization; a transformative initiative designed to enhance data integration, strengthen financial transparency, improve operational efficiency, and support long-term institutional sustainability. 

Board Chair Curt White said Benson’s appointment reflects both continuity and forward momentum for the university. 

“Chad Benson’s unanimous selection reflects his lifelong commitment to Morningside and the strength of his leadership during a pivotal moment in our history,” White said. “As a graduate, former board member, and chair, he understands this university from every vantage point. Chad brings strategic clarity, disciplined governance, and the ability to unite people around shared priorities. With strong campus support and the full confidence of the Board, we believe he is uniquely positioned to keep Morningside in motion and guide the university into its next era of growth and impact.” 

Benson brings more than three decades of executive leadership experience across technology, financial services, and emerging artificial intelligence ventures. Raised in Aurelia, Iowa, he credits his small-town roots and Morningside education with shaping his values-driven leadership philosophy. An alumnus of Harvard Business School, Benson has built and scaled complex organizations while championing disciplined innovation, accountability, and mission-centered growth. 

Benson is only the third alumnus in the university’s history to serve as president, joining Frank E. Mossman (1903) and Miles Tommeraasen (1943).

His leadership approach emphasizes academic rigor, workforce relevance, operational discipline, and a student-centered experience that prepares graduates not only for successful careers but for lives of ethical leadership and civic responsibility. 

As Morningside enters this next chapter, the university remains grounded in its mission to cultivate lifelong learning and is shaped by the faith-centered values that have guided the institution since its founding more than a century ago. Guided by a spirit of service and stewardship, and in partnership with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community leaders, the Morningside community moves forward committed to preparing principled leaders and pursuing Excellence Every Day.