Southern Catholic College, a regional private Catholic college in formation, has announced four executive appointments and the completion of its purchase of a 100-acre site in Gold Creek Resort in Dawsonville, as the college prepares for its opening on Sept. 8.

Prospective students can tour the campus and meet the faculty and staff during the college’s next scheduled open house on Feb. 27.

The Dawsonville site has nine buildings that are will used as residence halls. A conference center is being converted to an educational center with classrooms, administrative offices, library, fitness center and a dining hall, until the next phase in its expansion.

Appointed to the new college’s faculty are: Richard J. LeBlanc, Jr., vice president of academic affairs; William E. Fenton, Jr., vice president of institutional advancement; Kelly Bowring, dean of spiritual mission; and Karen Roy, vice president of fiscal affairs.

“We are excited to welcome four of the finest professionals in the academic community to our college,” said Jeremiah Ashcroft, president of Southern Catholic. “Their valuable expertise and exemplary track record in the college community will make significant contributions as we approach the opening of Southern Catholic College this fall and to its future success. We are very thankful for all the support we have received in bringing the opening of our college to reality. We are especially proud that all of our campus residence halls and buildings will soon be ready for incoming students in eight months.”

As vice president of academic affairs, LeBlanc joins Southern Catholic after serving more than 27 years in a variety of faculty and executive positions at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. There, he worked as associate dean of the College of Computing, acting associate director of the School of Information and Computer Science, and a member of the computing faculty. LeBlanc holds a doctorate and master’s degree in computer science from the University of Wisconsin and a bachelor’s degree in physics from Louisiana State University.

Fenton’s responsibilities as vice president of institutional advancement will include the capital fund campaign and annual fund campaign for the college. Most recently, he was vice president for institutional advancement at Barry University in Miami, Fla. At Barry, Fenton completed a $100 million capital campaign, exceeding their goal by $20 million. Earlier, he served more than 21 years as executive director of three chapters of the American Red Cross in Virginia and Florida. He holds a master’s degree in education from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Notre Dame.

As dean of spiritual mission, Bowring will be responsible for the spiritual outreach and the theology programs at Southern Catholic College. Previously, he was associate professor of sacred theology at St. Mary’s College of Ave Maria University in Michigan. He holds a doctorate in sacred theology from the University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, Italy, a master’s degree in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio. Bowring is also licensed in sacred theology from the Dominican House of Studies and John Paul II Institute in Washington, D.C.

Roy joins Southern Catholic after a 25-year career in finance with colleges in the Southeast. Most recently, she was associate vice president for finance at Agnes Scott College, Decatur. Earlier, she served as comptroller at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. Roy holds a master’s degree in business administration from Rollins College and a bachelor’s degree from Grove City College in western Pennsylvania.

Prospective students and parents are invited to visit Southern Catholic College for a winter preview day on Feb. 27. The schedule includes 10 a.m. registration with faculty and staff available; 11 a.m. Mass celebrated by Father Kevin Peek; noon lunch followed by an address by President Ashcroft; and 1 p.m. campus walking tour followed by a social. To reserve a space call (866) 722-2003 or e-mail admission@southerncatholic.org.