He checks his email, answers his phone, and props his office door open, ready to discuss any topic with full transparency.
For Endicott community members, interacting with the affable new president might be even simpler. Cain begins his days with the morning dew, walking his snow-colored Great Pyrenees, Tucker and Bear, around campus. While taking in the bucolic grounds gives Cain time to reflect on the possibilities of Endicott, the friendly canines also draw fellow sunrise pedestrians.
“They’re kind of showstoppers,” Cain said of the pups, “and they seem to pull people in.”
Cain himself is someone to whom people gravitate. It’s easy to engage him in conversation about the Agent Pendergast book series (“He’s an FBI agent, a little eccentric. If I were going to do it all over again, I’d be Agent Pendergast.”) and a good steak tartare (Pendergast’s favorite) or laugh about a memorable Seinfeld episode.
His upbeat vibe matches Cain’s “Detroit hustles harder” attitude. He expresses pride as he talks about his hometown’s revival, comparing the Motor City’s perseverance to that of Endicott.
“Detroiters are hardworking, entrepreneurial, and willing to overcome challenges through determination and grit,” Cain said. “Like any higher education institution, Endicott faces some hurdles as higher education evolves, but we’ll remain at the forefront because, just like Detroit, I believe Endicott hustles harder. It’s something we all need to own, and I’m here for it.”
Cain has witnessed the evolution of Endicott through many lenses. He first joined the staff in 2017 as Vice President of Marketing & Communications, where he learned that discussing student outcomes was a compelling way to build institutional identity.
On his next stop, as Vice President of Student and External Engagement, Cain applied that outcome-focused mindset to exploring ways to improve student satisfaction and retention rates—with resounding success. He also co-led the COVID task force and managed the College’s post-pandemic return to campus, applying his experience in crisis management and institutional resilience. Then, as Executive Vice President, Cain discovered that fundraising is straightforward when an institution has strong results to communicate.
“When you have the outcomes Endicott has,” he said, championing the Endicott Experiential Edge, “it’s simple to talk about those outcomes in a way that encourages community members to want to give back.”
While serving in each of his prior roles, Cain also taught as an adjunct, maintaining a close connection to the full student experience. And he became a student himself, earning a Ph.D. in higher education leadership, an endeavor that showcased the fundamental support Endicott offers every student. Perhaps prophetically, his doctoral research examined university presidential succession planning and its role in sustaining institutional financial health.
Immersion in the student success model from his various perches gave Cain a comprehensive understanding of what drives the College’s mission and the broad perspective to lead Endicott. After 14 months in the interim role, Cain officially became the College’s eighth president in March 2026.
On those mornings with his magnetic dogs, Cain considers Endicott’s promise, contemplating what’s next for facilities, including the new Innovation Complex. This $15 million addition to the Curtis L. Gerrish School of Business and the School of Science and Technology is scheduled to break ground in spring 2027. Plans for the space mirror the “Endicott hustles harder” mantra Cain extols.
“One of the things we do best is offer an interdisciplinary approach to our majors,” Cain said. “We’re creating the Innovation Complex to ensure that every single student can access innovations in healthcare, sport science, education, and everything in between.”
While innovation is the future, sometimes Cain will look to the past by firing up the engine of the school’s 1927 Buick Woody Wagon and taking it for a spin around the North Shore. The vintage sedan was donated to Endicott by Trustee James Demers and now resides in the Beechwood garage.
After his morning routine, Cain shifts from imagination to pragmatism. “I come to the office and start thinking about what’s feasible,” he explained.
His days are spent engaging with community stakeholders to discuss their ideas. He then develops action steps that support the most reasonable path forward, grounded in data-informed decision-making.
In the fall, Cain will launch an official strategic planning process that will involve the extended Endicott community. Among the priorities are maintaining the affordability and accessibility of an Endicott education and evolving the Experiential Edge to meet the technological changes (notably AI) of the modern workforce.
“If anyone has an idea, a solution to a problem we haven’t thought of, I want to hear from them,” Cain said. “This is their institution, too, and our success is not only about enrolling new students but also about alumni success. I want them to know I’m available to talk about anything. My door is always open.”
Cookin’ With Cain
An accomplished home chef with a particular appreciation for pastry, President Cain believes the best conversations happen around the dinner table.
That’s the idea behind Cookin’ With Cain, a new series that welcomes small groups of students to Beechwood to cook, share a meal, and connect. Cain hopes to make the President’s House feel like the people’s house—a place where students feel welcome, heard, and at home.
Watch the first episode.