After graduating with his bachelor's and master's degrees from Appalachian State University, King began his career at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington from 1975 to 1991 in a variety of capacities. He served as assistant dean of students, director of Housing, director of Housing and Food Services, director of Business Services and assistant vice chancellor.

Prior to joining JMU, he was vice president for Business Affairs at Radford University from 1991 to 1996.

In 1996, King was hired at JMU, where he served as senior vice president for Administration and Finance, overseeing Government Relations, Budget Management, Business Services, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Intercollegiate Athletics and University Police.

Throughout his tenure at JMU, King has played an integral role in a variety of capital projects on campus, while managing the financial resources of the university. He has balanced the needs for growth and student affordability, while also managing to retain employees during budget reductions and fiscally conservative times.

When asked about some of his proudest accomplishments, King mentioned the intentional growth across campus and maintaining its beauty, building out East Campus, and the success of JMU Athletic programs. Most importantly King said, “One of my career highlights was leading the best administration and finance team in the Commonwealth.”

King will serve the institution as interim president, starting July 1, 2024, until the next president completes their transition.

Last updated: June 2024