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Mark Ivester
by Matthew Osborne
CNI News Service
Dr. Mark Ivester, the beloved president of North Georgia Technical College, died late Saturday night due to complications from COVID-19. He was 57.
“With incredibly heavy hearts, we are so sad to say that Dr. Mark Ivester passed away last night around midnight after losing his battle to COVID-19,” read a statement from the school. “We are all devastated and will miss him terribly.”
Ivester has been a staff member at NGTC since 1998, working on the executive team and serving as vice president for economic development for eight years.
Ivester served as the president of North Georgia Technical College beginning in 2016, making him the sixth President in NGTC’s 76-year history.
Ivester is survived by his loving wife Eleanor of 33 years, four children and two grandchildren.
He was last working on campus July 31. He started out at Stephens County Hospital after taking ill in mid-August and was later flown to Braselton, where he was in the intensive care unit. As of Sept. 8, he was on dialysis to try and keep him stable.
Gov. Brian Kemp tweeted his regards Sunday morning, “praying for the loved ones, colleagues, and community of @ngtc President Mark Ivester, who passed away last night due to COVID-19. We ask God to give them all comfort in this difficult time.”
A private funeral service for Ivester was planned for Sept. 15.