The search for a new school president started in the fall of 2015, after the school’s former president, David Tribble, announced his upcoming retirement. Bethesda’s board of governors created a special search committee which included seven past and present board members and the former chair of The Women's Board of Bethesda. Together, they worked in tandem with Carney Sandoe, a nationally recognized educational search firm headquartered in Boston. With consultants throughout the country, Dr. Tom Redmond of Atlanta served as Bethesda’s personal consultant during the search process. 

“We’re delighted to welcome Dr. Mike Hughes to Bethesda Academy,” said John Helmken, Bethesda’s chairman of the board and president of South State Bank. “After an exhaustive search, it was clear Dr. Hughes not only embodied superior credentials but the key characteristics an individual must possess in order to lead a school as special and forward-thinking as Bethesda. I have no doubt we selected the right person for the job and on behalf of the board look forward to working in partnership with him to help ensure another 275 years for Bethesda.”

Prior to accepting his new position as president of Bethesda Academy, Dr. Hughes served as the former head of school at Antilles School in St. Thomas where he provided exemplary leadership for the day college preparatory school, which is considered to be one of the finest independent schools in the U.S. Virgin Islands. With a dense military and academic background defined by numerous awards of achievement and success, Dr. Hughes has served in key leadership and academic positions at West Point and earned graduate degrees at the University of Virginia and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He has also served in several headmaster positions in schools across the U.S. and served as Director of the Center for Enhanced Performance at West Point.