The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to examine the role of the president in succession planning at Baptist colleges and universities. Purposeful, criterion sampling yielded twelve presidents to participate in this study. They ranged in years of service from one to 13 years of experience as a president. Data collection involved face to face interviews. Data was coded and analyzed resulting in the development of the Presidential Succession Grounded Theory Model. The study found that presidents are either directly or indirectly influence the choice of their successors. This study has taken a unique approach in examining presidential succession at Baptist colleges and universities and as a result has discovered key findings of the many roles a president has in the process of succession. The study revealed that board chair involvement, trustee involvement, and presidential search committee involvement is the context in which presidents are engaged in meaningfully influencing the succession process. The study also discovered that a president's rapport with the board, longevity, and success shape, facilitate, or constrain a president's ability to influence the succession process. Finally, the study revealed the following strategies a president employs in a succession process: spirituality, exit plan, revealing potential candidates and candidates who should not be considered, the creation or sustaining of bylaws, policies and procedures related to the succession process, and a president's availability to the presidential search committee. The outcome of the study revealed that presidents either directly or indirectly influence the choice of their successors. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]