WASHINGTON, Pa. (June 5, 2012) — On Friday, May 18, 2012, the Board of Trustees of Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) elected Richard T. Clark as its new Chairman.
Clark’s term officially begins July 1, 2012. A 1968 graduate of the College, Clark has served as a trustee for almost five years.
Clark replaces Barbara DeWitt, the first female W&J Board Chair and a member of the class of 1974, the first co-educational class to graduate from W&J. Former First Vice President and Managing Director of the Endowment and Foundation Section for the Bank of New York Mellon, DeWitt served on the Board of Trustees for 12 years and led the investment committee successfully as it guided the endowment decisions of the College during the recent market turmoil.
Asked about the change in governance, DeWitt said, “I welcome Dick to the role of Chairman. His unrivaled leadership experience in the private sector will be an incredible asset to the College as we implement a new strategic plan and work to position the College for continued success.”
Clark, a history major at W&J and an active member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, was a first-generation college student. After graduation, he spent two years as a U.S. Army lieutenant and then joined Merck as a quality control inspector.
While at Merck, Clark held various positions of increasing responsibility, including president of the Merck Manufacturing Division, where he led Merck’s global network of manufacturing operations, information services and operations excellence organizations. Clark was named president and CEO of Merck & Co. in May 2005 and chairman of the board in April 2007. He retired as Chairman at the end of 2011.
Clark is Chairman of the Board for Project Hope, a global health education and humanitarian assistance organization, and recently was named to the board of directors of Corning Incorporated. Clark also is a director of Automatic Data Processing, Inc., serves on the advisory board of American Securities, and is a trustee of PENN Medicine, which includes the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania Health System.
Washington & Jefferson College President Tori Haring-Smith, who has worked with Clark for nearly five years in his role as trustee, said, “Dick has been an active and involved trustee. I have enjoyed working closely with him and look forward to working with him in this expanded role. His guidance and wisdom will continue to be of great benefit to the College.”
About Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pa., is a national liberal arts college founded in 1781. Committed to providing each of its students with the highest-quality undergraduate education available, W&J offers a traditional liberal arts curriculum emphasizing interdisciplinary study and independent student work. For more information about W&J, visit www.washjeff.edu.
(end)
