Greg Hamann thought he had sworn off red meat. That is, until he moved to Wyoming seven years ago and realized – at social events – it was beef or starvation.

Hamann moved into the Clatsop Community College presidency, taking over for retiring John Wubben, this month. On arrival, Hamann and his wife Rita have been reacquainting themselves with the coastal fare.

“Every place we go, we have seafood,” he said. “I suppose eventually I’ll have a steak again.”

Hamann said much of his job will be devoted to improving dialogue between the school and community.

“The community and the college have one future,” he said. “Astoria can’t have a bright economic future without the college.”

He also hopes to develop college offerings throughout the county.

“I think we need to give a stronger look at our ability to provide services to the whole county,” he said. “We are the county’s college, not just Astoria’s.”

The Clatsop Community College Board will work with Hamann to improve its campus, Chairwoman Marilyn Lane said. A few weeks into his job at the college, he was not sure how this would take place. Hamann is not afraid to say, “I don’t know.”

The new president will allow the college to “take a whole new look at what direction we want to go with that,” Lane said. Hamann seems to be open to discussion, she said.

“He’s out meeting a lot of people and listening to a lot of people,” she said. “He’ll really get a lot information.”

Since coming to town Hamann has met with Astoria Rotarians, a car salesman and a barber, among others.

“They all have differences of opinions about what we should do,” he said. “It’s so apparent that people care about this place.”

During his first days in the district, state college leaders spoke via telephone about funding issues in the Legislature. In addition to general funding, the colleges hope a bill will pass to provide matching funds for their construction projects.

This could provide half the funding for Clatsop’s buildings – shifting some of the weight from local voters.

Former waffling over building projects created controversy about the college and its direction.

“Image is related to communication and building of trust,” Hamann said. “I don’t do anything behind closed doors.”

He said he hopes to develop stronger links between the local school systems and continue in programs so high school students can take courses at the college.

An Oregon Community College Association representative will orient Hamann on the state system and legislative processes. He will meet with other college presidents at a retreat in August.

When Hamann was hired in the spring, the Clatsop Community College Board approved $104,000 for his yearly salary.

Hamann served for seven years as dean of administrative services at Northwest College in Powell, Wyo. Buoyed by oil and coal mining, Wyoming’s economy is one of few state legislatures not facing a deficit this year.

Hamann was born on a dairy farm in Minnesota. While he was young, the family moved away, but he still spent the summers working on the farm.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology and social studies education at the University of Minnesota. He taught middle school for a year and mastered in counseling psychology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Ill.

Upon earning his master’s degree, Bethel College near Saint Paul, Minn., asked him to run a counseling and residence life program. He was there for three years and moved to Whitworth College in Spokane, Wash. He worked there for more than 12 years and worked in student services, activities and administration. While at Whitworth, he earned his doctorate in educational leadership from Gonzaga University in Spokane.

After leaving his Midwestern hometown, Hamann vowed to stay in the Northwest. He followed a job opportunity to Northwest College in 1996.

“It was in the northwest corner of Wyoming – that was about as far east and south as I would go,” he said. “That little corner of the Wyoming still qualified as the Northwest.”

Hamann’s son, Michael, 20, lives in Spokane. Michael’s interest in soccer prompted Hamann, who is also a referee, to work with a friend to start a soccer team at the high school. Hamann had no experience with soccer. During his high school years, he was a self-described computer nerd, sang in choir and played the violin.

Hamann said he’s delighted to move to the coast. For the moment, his things are in storage. He and his wife live in a one-bedroom apartment at the Marine and Environmental Research and Training Station. They have not found a house yet.

“The longer it takes the better,” he said.

Each day searching for a house, he gets to know his surroundings better. He’s also taken up running through the local areas.

“Right now, my wife and I are sort of in awe,” he said.