Kriegbaum, Ph.D., who was university president from 1985 until 1997, is enthusiastic about coming back. "In one sense, one never really leaves," he said. After so many years as an administrator it was hard to leave the school completely behind, and Kriegbaum has continued to be involved in the Fresno Pacific community.
In 1984 Kriegbaum came to FPU from Wheaton College to serve as administrative vice president. After a year, he was asked to replace Edmund Janzen, Ph.D., as university president. Kriegbaum resigned in 1997 and began writing his first book, Leadership Prayers, published by Tyndale House in 1998. After a stint at One by One Leadership, a Christian community development organization in Fresno, he spent eight years as CEO of United Way of Fresno County.
Since 2007 Kriegbaum has taught distance-learning courses through the Center for Professional Development while working on his second book, which will be revolve around the subjects of consulting and speaking. He has also consulted with a wide variety of nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education on leadership and organizational development.
Kriegbaum will be dean until the selection of a replacement for Dennis Langhofer, who retired in May after 29 years on the business faculty. Besides playing a role in that search, Kriegbaum looks forward to helping to hire faculty and prepare for evaluation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. He also hopes to begin conversations with Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary about collaboration between the two schools.
Despite his personal credentials, Kriegbaum is open to what God will do with his time in the role, and feels that he is back at Fresno Pacific for a reason. "I just love stumbling along, ignorant as I am, watching for what God does," he said.