In 1985, a survey was conducted to investigate the career credentials of a group of community college chief executive officers (CEO's) and chief instructional officers (CIO's) from Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio. Study findings, based on a 69.6% response rate from both two- and four-year college administrators, included the following: (1) the top-level two-year college administrators surveyed were predominantly (89%) male, middle-aged (an average of 50.2 years), and white (95%) and 86% had doctoral degrees; (2) 28.9% of the CEO's followed a traditional career path, beginning with graduate training in a specific discipline, teaching experience, appointment as a department chair, and then being promoted to dean, vice president, and finally president; (3) 35.6% of the CEO's were first employed at a college in an administrative position and proceeded to the presidency with no teaching experience; (4) 11.1% of the CEO's started in K-12 administration; (5) 71% of the CEO's and CIO's came to their current job from outside the institution; and (6) asked what training, experience, or skills, they wished they had had, respondents indicated that they were better able to understand philosophical issues than operational issues (e.g., computers, budgeting, planning, and legal issues). (GFW)