Healthcare CEO, financial expert named 26th president of King’s

After months of searching, the University of King’s College board of governors and presidential search committee have named Tim Vine as the university’s next president.

Vine is the current president and CEO of North Shore Health Network, a health organization with three hospital sites in rural Ontario communities that provide short and long-term care.

He will assume his role as the 26th president of the university on July 13. Vine is excited to move to Halifax with his family and be part of the “unique” community at King’s.

“I’m over the moon,” Vine says.

In December 2024, the university’s board of governors announced William Lahey’s decision not to extend his presidential term beyond June 2026. Lahey has been the president of King’s since 2016. 

Related: King’s College to announce new president in April

Stephanie McGrath, the chair of King’s board of governors, says that Vine’s love for academia and financial expertise was what the university was looking for in its next president.

“He talked to us a lot about wanting to do something of consequence; he wants to be part of very meaningful work,” says McGrath. “King’s offers him the chance to combine his passion for education, political science, the media and make the world a better place.”

When Vine saw the opportunity to be president of King’s, he believed he could excel in the role because of his experience leading organizations through times of financial strain and pressure. 

New president steps in amidst financial struggles 

An October report from Lahey to the university’s board of governors outlined a $1.8 million operating budget deficit for the 2025-26 fiscal year — an increase of over $1 million from the projected deficit of $750,000 that the board approved in June — due to rising operating costs and a large decrease in international student enrollment. 

Vine has over four years of experience as the chief financial officer for multiple healthcare institutions in Ontario and was the director of finance for the City of Elliot Lake, Ont., for four months in 2018.

McGrath says that his experience in tough financial times and success in fundraising have prepared him to help tackle the university’s fiscal crisis. 

“He’s extremely well-prepared and well-versed for the road ahead,” says McGrath. 

Vine says the Southeast Corner Project, a proposed new building at King’s that is projected to cost over $95 million to construct, is a great opportunity to upgrade the university’s facilities and engage with local Indigenous and African Nova Scotian communities.

King’s unveiled concept designs for the project in November, detailing the building’s planned facilities for the university’s journalism school, a new gymnasium and residence rooms for 100 students.

Related: King’s needs $95 million for a new campus building. No one’s agreed to pay for it

He acknowledges students’ current lack of faith in the project, but hopes to communicate the value he sees in it to them as it progresses.

“[The SEC project] is what King’s will need in the coming decades and in the coming century,” says Vine. “I’m hoping [we] can move forward with it in a way that will set King’s up sustainably for the future.”

Vine aims to embrace King’s tight-knit community 

Iman Mannathukkaren, vice-president external for the King’s Student Union, said the union’s executive team met with Vine when he visited King’s in March.

The incumbent president’s day at King’s consisted of a full day of meetings and interviews with university administration, faculty members and students. 

Mannathukkaren says that the KSU has faith that he will prioritize student concerns and help develop a more inclusive King’s community. 

“He has a genuine interest in improving student life on campus and building the King’s community further,” she says. “I’m excited to see what he has in mind.”

Vine has been a lecturer at Algoma University in Sault St. Marie, Ont., for over two years. The university has over 5,000 students enrolled and an average class size of 40 students.

He says that he has purposefully spent his career in medium-sized institutions because he enjoys getting to know the community around his work.

“I love that it’s a close-knit community where I can get to know people by name,” says Vine. “I look forward to talking with young people who are excited about exploring the world of ideas.”