Dr. Frank J. Harwood Accepts Interim CEO Role
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Dr. Frank J. Harwood will serve as the Interim CEO at the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence beginning Monday, Nov. 20. His appointment comes following BGCLK veteran Monica Dittmer stepping away from the role earlier this month.
Dr. Harwood returns to Lawrence with a wealth of experience and a proven record in
leadership. A two-time University of Kansas graduate, he accepted his first position in this
community in 2005 as the principal at Liberty Memorial Central Middle School. He then
advanced into the Lawrence Public Schools administrative team as the Division Director for Technology (2008-09) and finally the Chief Operations Officer (2009-2011). He earned his Doctorate of Education from the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 2019.
“The Board of Directors was looking for a person with proven success in this community as well as an individual with a strong background in leading a team,” said Randy Glidewell,
BGCLK Board President. “When Dr. Anthony Lewis brought up Dr. Harwood’s name, we instantly knew the credentials and the character he brings to the table. There is already an
established team of mentors and youth development professionals at the Club. We simply
wanted to provide additional support until the new CEO is hired.”
Dr. Harwood accepted his first superintendent position for Bellevue Public Schools (2011-
16) in Bellevue, Neb. That challenge came with 10,000 students grades K-12, a $100M
budget and 1,500 employees.
His most recent role as Superintendent of USD 232 in DeSoto (2016-23), saw him
managing the education of 7,500 students and leading a team of 1,000 employees. Dr.
Harwood’s stewardship in overseeing an $85 million budget and his collaborative work with school board members have been instrumental in shaping effective educational policies and fostering community engagement.
An educator at heart, he spent the first nine years of his career as a science teacher at
Perry Lecompton High School. While he was not looking for a job when the BGCLK board
reached out to him, his recent retirement from USD 232 made it possible for him to take on this role. He did make it clear that he does not plan to apply for the position.
“My role is simply to help this organization transition,” Dr. Harwood said. “Monica was a
great leader for a long time, and I have every confidence that the board will find another
great leader going forward. From my previous roles with Lawrence Public Schools, I know
how important Boys & Girls Club is for all of the students in the community. When I heard there was a need, I was happy to step up and do what I could.”