Dear Members of the Brown Community,

Earlier today, the Corporation of Brown University enthusiastically elected new officers. I am delighted to announce that Samuel M. Mencoff, a 1978 undergraduate alumnus and founding partner and co-CEO of Madison Dearborn Partners, will become Brown’s 21st Chancellor on July 1, 2016. Alison S. Ressler, a 1980 undergraduate alumna and partner at the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, will become Vice Chancellor. Theresia Gouw, Brown class of 1990 and founder of Aspect Ventures, will become Treasurer.

The election of new officers is due. My term as Chancellor will conclude at the end of this academic year, as will that of Jerome Vascellaro, who currently serves as Vice Chancellor. Alison Ressler is currently serving as Treasurer in a term that would have expired in 2017, but her election to the position of Vice Chancellor created an additional officer vacancy this year. Donald Hood, Secretary of the Corporation, will continue in his office until his term expires next year.

When vacancies in officer positions occur, the Governance and Nominating Committee of the Corporation is responsible for recommending new candidates. Under the excellent leadership of Committee Chair Robin Lenhardt ’89, the members of the Committee—Diana Wells ’88, Ralph Rosenberg ’86, Laura Geller ’71, and Craig Barton ’78—spent countless hours over many months carrying out this charge. They did so with a high level of diligence, thoroughness and thoughtfulness, and members of the Corporation expressed gratitude for their hard and good work at today’s meeting.

Serving as an officer of the Corporation affords the opportunity to work closely with Fellows and Trustees, senior administration, faculty, students, staff and alumni to further the success and excellence of Brown. The experience is a true privilege, and one for which I am personally grateful. Brown’s 1764 Charter states that the Chancellor’s role is “only to preside as a moderator of the Trustees”; the officers, in turn, aim to provide balanced and supportive leadership in maintaining the critical collegiality of the Corporation as a whole. I am entirely confident that Sam Mencoff, Alison Ressler and Theresia Gouw possess a deep love for Brown and individual and collective experience that will enable them to serve in their new roles to great success.

Brown’s mix of community, campus, curriculum, scale and structure makes the University a special place in the landscape of higher education. We are constantly reminded of this robust tradition in our efforts to ensure a high degree of focus on academic excellence and shape the long view for the University. Our community is blessed by its remarkable qualities, but also by its hardworking leaders who sustain the endurance of Brown’s magic while enabling an auspicious future.

Please join me in congratulating Sam Mencoff, Alison Ressler and Theresia Gouw. Additional information regarding the newly elected Corporation officers is available online.

Sincerely,

Thomas J. Tisch
Chancellor