Oxford School district operations leadership will soon change as Col. Doug Cromwell announced his retirement for December 2023.

Cromwell serves as part of the superintendent’s cabinet as the chief of operations. The district’s major systems, such as facilities, transportation, child nutrition and technology, are under the command of the chief of operations.

As his second career, Cromwell joined the Oxford School District in 2013 as the MJROTC instructor for Oxford High School after he retired from the Marine Corps. He served the Marines for 34 years and embarked on missions in some of the most dangerous places in the world, including the team assigned to eliminate al-Qaeda.

In 2016, Cromwell became the district’s director of personnel, operations and planning under the leadership of former Superintendent Brian Harvey. The construction of Central Elementary, OHS Fine Arts, the baseball/softball complex and several building renovations are just a few of the most notable projects led by Cromwell.

“This is undoubtedly one of the most important positions to fill in our school district, as the knowledge and skill set required to execute these daily processes is vast,” said Bradley Roberson, superintendent of the Oxford School District. “This position affects every single employee and student we serve.”

The Oxford School District will conduct an internal search for its next operations leader, with plans to select the new chief by the end of October.