Veronique Tran had a voicemail when her flight landed.

While in the air from Wisconsin to Texas, Tran received a job offer to be the next Gateway Technical College president and CEO.

Tran was thrilled to accept and be the college’s permanent leader.

“There were so many things that I felt like (were) such a good fit for me,” Tran said. “I was glad to see that Gateway saw the same.”

As president, Tran aims to increase educational opportunities for area residents and set the college up for the long run.

“What I’m looking for is building, with the employees at Gateway, as well as our community, what the next chapter of Gateway will be,” Tran said. “We need to look further into the next 10, 20, 30 years. We are laying the foundation for what the future of this tri-country region will be, and so I’m looking forward to that.”

Veronique Tran officially started as Gateway Technical College president and CEO on July 1 and has a three-year contract with a base salary of $295,000 per year.

In May, Tran was chosen to lead the college with campuses in Kenosha, Racine and Elkhorn.

Preston Gardner, Gateway Technical College Board of Trustees member and chair of the ad hoc presidential search committee, said in a May news release that he is “confident the selection of Dr. Tran positions Gateway Technical College for continued strength and forward momentum.”

Tran officially started the job July 1 and has a three-year contract with a base salary of $295,000 per year.

She will make an inaugural address as Gateway president at 8 a.m. Aug. 18 at Haribo Hall in the Madrigano Conference Center, 3520 30th Ave., Kenosha.

Read more at the Kenosha News.