Abene will assume the president's job on December 1. Dr. Tina Anderson will continue to serve as Valdosta Tech's interim president until that time, and then she'll return to her regular role as president of Moultrie Technical College.

Abene served as the president of Ancilla College from 2002 to 2005, and was president of Marian College from 1999 to 2001. He began his career in higher education in 1975 as a psychology instructor at Triton College in River Grove, Illinois. From there, he progressed through a number of college administrative positions including dean of students at National-Louis University in Evanston, Illinois, dean of student development at Barat College in Lake Forest, Illinois, and vice president of Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.