Looking back on two terms as CAF president
When I became president of the Cornell Alumni Federation (CAF) in May 2005, changes were already happening. The long-time vice president of Alumni Affairs and Development (AAD), Inge Reichenbach, had resigned in April to take a position as vice president for development at Yale. As much as her departure sent waves through the Cornell community, the coming changes were even more dramatic. During his speech on Reunion Weekend in June 2005, President Jeffrey Lehman '77 announced that he was resigning, and Peter Meinig '61, chairman of the Board of Trustees, told the still-stunned audience that President Emeritus Hunter Rawlings had agreed to serve as interim president while a search was conducted for Lehman's successor.
Most of the subsequent changes, while important for the future of Cornell, have been a bit less dramatic. They include the hiring of Charlie Phlegar as vice president for AAD, the successful search that culminated in the installation of David Skorton as Cornell's twelfth president on a glorious September day in 2006, the departure of long-time Alumni Affairs director Mary Berens '73 (now a development officer), and the hiring of Chris Marshall as associate vice president for Alumni Affairs. And let's not forget the launch of the "Far Above . . ." capital campaign, the creation of a new master plan, and—closer to home—the developing relationship between the University and Cornell Alumni Magazine that helps to support the CAM Online website.
So many changes could be cause for concern, but from my viewpoint, Cornell is in good hands. We're indebted to Hunter Rawlings for his service in 2005-06; he acted with confidence to calm anxious alumni and staff, support the presidential search, and keep the University moving forward. I've had the good fortune to spend a little time with David Skorton and his wife, Robin Davisson, and it's clear that David cares deeply for Cornell, and his actions are guided by a desire to keep it a strong and dynamic institution. It's also clear that Robin is a very supportive partner in that effort. Charlie Phlegar has brought considerable experience and a fresh vision to AAD; his enthusiasm for Cornell is readily apparent whenever he talks with alumni. And the energy that we on the search committee immediately recognized in Chris Marshall has shown itself in his whirlwind activities to meet alumni, work with staff in the colleges and units, develop a strategic plan, empower staff and alumni to conduct program-specific analyses . . . and get married while all that was in process.
The eventful times have continued with the economic decline and its far-reaching impact on Cornell and the capital campaign. Chris Marshall's exciting vision for Alumni Affairs—which has generated energy and enthusiasm among the staff and the alumni who have read his strategic plan (see page 65)—must be implemented in stages, as Cornell copes with reduced resources to fund such programs. But a number of exciting new initiatives are indeed under way.
I retire from the CAF presidency on May 16. My successor, Nancy Abrams Dreier '86, has been an active member of the CAF Board for many years, including two terms as a vice president. She's energetic in her commitment to Cornell and the Federation, and has offered me valuable counsel on issues that the board has addressed in recent years. As a resident of California (and previously of Florida), she also brings a perspective that those of us who live within a few hours travel from Ithaca will benefit from hearing. It's been an honor to serve as president and to work with so many great people on the CAF Board and in Alumni Affairs. I ask them to continue their support for Nancy— and I wish her a noticeably less eventful term in office!
— Rolf Frantz '66, ME '67