He will succeed Larry Nikkel, who is retiring at the end of the calendar year.
Glanzer celebrated his 55th birthday Monday, the day he accepted his new position.
Answering the call to become Tabor?s next president is a ?God-arranged opportunity,? Glanzer said, speaking for himself and wife Peggy.
?The opportunity to serve the Tabor community and the church in this new way is one that excites us and challenges us to give it our all.?
A 1974 business administration graduate of Tabor, Glanzer received his master of divinity degree from Mennonite Breth?ren Biblical Seminary in 1978, and his doctor of ministry in leadership and church management from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2000.
After serving as a pastor in the Mennonite Brethren and Evangelical Covenant denominations for nearly a quarter century, Glanzer became dean of George Fox Evangelical Seminary, where he has served since 2001.
In an upbeat announcement written Monday to Tabor College students, faculty and staff, Tabor Board Chairman Lyndon Vix wrote, ?I?m sorry I don?t have the authority to cancel classes for a day of celebration.?
Vix thanked the presidential search committee: Ted Faszer, David Wiebe, Diana Raugust, Rusty Allen, Judy Harder and Steve Schroeder, for ?their good work in leading us to this point.?
A firm date for Glanzer to assume the presidency has not yet been established, but it will be sometime in the second semester, Vix said, adding that the seven-month search to find a qualified successor to President Nikkel was, ?The most significant decision that the board of directors faced as we approach our centennial.?
On behalf of the search committee, Faszer said, ?Our committee is excited about Dr. Glanzer?s leadership gifts, and his record of service in Christian higher education.?
Glanzer grew up on a Mennonite farm near Mitchell, S.D. He was married to Peggy Todd in 1972, and all three of their children graduated from Tabor College.
Although he did not apply for the president?s position, Glanzer?s name came up several times during the initial search process.
After being recommended as the primary candidate by the search committee, Glanzer and his wife visited the Hillsboro campus Sept. 20-22. He spoke in a special chapel service Sept. 21.
Faculty and staff also met with Glanzer for informal questions and answers.
Throughout the process , the search committee solicited questions and comments from on campus and the broader Tabor constituency
Glanzer?s philosophy of life. or ?personal vision/mission statement? reads, ?To honor and trust God with my life by being a person of influence, inspiring and impacting with integrity and relevance the lives of those who will influence others.?
Prior to his current role as dean at George Fox, Glanzer was pastor of the Ulysses Mennonite Brethren Church from 1978 to 1982 and was founding pastor of Faith Community (Evangelical Covenant) Church in Houston, Texas, from 1987 to 2001.
He also taught religion courses as an adjunct professor at George Fox Evangelical Seminary, was associate professor at Houston Graduate School of Theology, and presented seminars and lectures in the United States and around the world, including St. James Bible College in Magadan, Russia.
