Rev. Russ Sommerfeld named interim president of Concordia University, Nebraska
The Concordia University, Nebraska Board of Regents has named an interim president to serve in the role that will be vacated by Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich effective Jan. 1, 2020.
At its Aug. 2 meeting, the board appointed Rev. Russ Sommerfeld, assistant professor of theology at Concordia, to serve as Concordia’s interim president while the search is conducted for the university’s 11th president.
“The university is truly blessed to have Rev. Sommerfeld agree to serve as interim president starting in January,” said Stuart Bartruff, chair-elect of the Board of Regents. “Russ has a passion for witnessing Christ that has informed his teaching at Concordia, his leadership of the Nebraska District and his time in the parish. That passion and the breadth of his experience will serve Concordia well during this tenure and the Board of Regents looks forward to working with Russ as the Concordia community faithfully lives out its important mission to provide a Christ-centered education.”
Sommerfeld joined Concordia’s faculty in 2016 after serving 12 years as president of the Nebraska District of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Before leading the LCMS Nebraska District, he served as a pastor at congregations in Nebraska and Kansas for 23 years. Sommerfeld earned a master’s in divinity from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in 1980, a bachelor’s degree in theology from Concordia Senior College in Ft. Wayne, Indiana in 1974 and an associate’s degree from Concordia University, St. Paul, St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1972. Sommerfeld lives in Seward with his wife, Donna “Nino,” and the couple has three children, Alexander, Nicholas and Victoria and four granddaughters.
“It will be a privilege to serve Concordia in this role while the university searches for its next president,” said Sommerfeld. “I look forward to working with our campus community as we rely on the Lord during this transition.”
The board is forming a presidential search committee that will include two regents, three faculty members, two staff members and two non-voting members, including the Concordia student body president. Further information regarding the committee’s process for receiving nominations for president will be shared as it becomes available.
