About us
Orion Technical College, formerly Hamilton Technical College, has proudly provided high-quality technical and medical training to the Quad City area for over 50 years. Founded in 1969 as the Academy of Radio and Television (ART) in Bettendorf, IA, the college evolved to meet industry needs—expanding from broadcasting exam preparation to launching an Electronics program in 1978 and rebranding as Hamilton Technical College in 1980. The 1990s saw further growth with the introduction of a Medical Assisting Technology program, followed by Medical Billing and Coding in 2006.
To distinguish these fields, the college established the School of Technology (Electronics Engineering Technology) and the School of Allied Health (Medical Assisting and Medical Billing & Coding). In 2024, Orion Technical College further expanded its offerings by launching three Master’s programs in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, and Business Analytics, reinforcing its commitment to cutting-edge education and workforce readiness. Now located on Elmore Avenue in Davenport, IA, Orion continues to train skilled professionals to meet employer demands and shape the future of technology and healthcare.
Orion Technical College, formerly known as Hamilton Technical College, has been proud to provide the Quad City area quality technical training and medical assisting instruction for 50 years. From our humble beginning in 1969 as the Academy of Radio and Television (ART) in Bettendorf, IA to our becoming Hamilton Technical College to becoming Orion Technical College on 53rd and Tremont in Davenport, IA, we have grown with the community and we continue to train Electronics and Medical students to meet the needs of employers.Our founder, Charles Hamilton, Jr., began the college by preparing students to take the Federal Communications Commission examination for broadcasting. While teaching students around his kitchen table he envisioned going beyond test preparation to training students to be broadcasters. Soon his vision grew with the needs of the employers in the community and an Electronics program developed in 1978. In 1980, as the program grew, the name was changed to Hamilton Technical College. HTC in the 1990’s responded to a need in our medical community by creating a Medical Assisting Technology Program and in 2006 the Medical Billing and Coding program was started. In an effort to define our two distinct program areas, Hamilton Tech created the School of Technology (including Electronics Engineering Technology) and the School of Allied Health (including Medical Assisting Technology and Medical Billing and Coding).
To further clarify our mission, in June of 2020, the Board of Directors approved a name change to Orion Technical College intended to better reflect a relationship between Orion Education Group’s two campuses, showcase the broader programs and services offered and to begin to grow our brand recognition and market reach for the Orion Education Group system. As we celebrate our accomplishments over the past 50 years, we are keeping our eyes on the future educational and employment needs of our community.
Subject: Announcement of Promotion and Appointment to Dean of Academic Affairs
We are excited to announce the promotion of Rodney James to the position of Dean of Academic Affairs. Rodney has been serving as our Interim Dean for the past month, and throughout this period, he has demonstrated exceptional leadership, a deep commitment to academic excellence, and a strategic vision for the continued growth of our academic programs.
Rodney’s leadership during his interim role has already made a lasting impact, and we are confident that his vision and dedication will continue to drive the growth and success of our academic programs. We look forward to the continued development of our faculty and curriculum under his leadership. We also want to express our sincere appreciation to the other internal candidates who participated in the interview process. Your interest in the position, as well as your commitment to personal and professional growth, has not gone unnoticed. Your contributions to the organization are valued, and we see a bright future for each of you within our college. As we enter a period of significant growth and opportunity, we are excited to continue working together and supporting your professional journeys. Please join us in congratulating Rodney on his well-deserved promotion, and in thanking all candidates for their continued dedication to our mission.
Best regards,
Troy Harris & Hari Motupalli
