As a young man the author dreamed of becoming a college president by his early 40s, and he achieved that dream in 2007 when he became president of McIntosh College, in Dover, New Hampshire. But organizing a teach-out to close the college after 112 years of operation wasn't part of the plan. Closing a century-old college, however, is what the author had to do as president. When he was hired, they at McIntosh knew that closing was a possibility, but they believed they would be sold and remain in operation. McIntosh was a for-profit institution owned by a large corporation, and although the author was able to provide three offers of purchase, it decided to close the institution for unknown reasons. In this article, the author shares the lessons that helped them achieve a dignified closure.