Campaign Leadership Group
In this Section
A vital strength of the E2E Campaign's formula for great things is the exceptional group of volunteers—alumni, friends, Clarkson faculty and staff—who form the leadership group. They are both guiding and powering an exciting future for Clarkson University.
| Kevin T. Parker '81 Co-Chair, E2E Campaign |
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Kevin Parker is the president and CEO for Deltek Inc., a leading provider of enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions for project-based businesses and professional services firms. Prior to joining Deltek, Mr. Parker was both co-president and CFO of PeopleSoft until the company’s acquisition by Oracle. He also held previous positions as the firm’s senior vice president and chief financial officer. During his tenure, he led the efforts to dramatically increase PeopleSoft’s operating margin and was involved in all facets of the business, including directing all shareholder communication and activity during the 18-month Oracle hostile tender offer. The architect and driving force behind PeopleSoft’s innovative Customer Assurance Plant (CAP), Mr. Parker also orchestrated the company’s strategic acquisition of J.D. Edwards in 2003, which added 7,000 new customers and 6,000 new employees, making PeopleSoft the world’s second-largest enterprise software company. Mr. Parker held senior executive positions with Aspects Communications, a leading provider of contact center solutions and services that enable businesses to manage and optimize customer communications, and Fujitsu Computer Products of America, a leading provider of data storage and imaging solutions for the global marketplace. In 2000, CFO Magazine named him one of the 20 chief financial officers who will have a major impact in the next decade. Mr. Parker is a member of Clarkson's School of Business Leadership Council. He graduated from Clarkson University in 1981 with a B.S. in accounting. He was elected to the Clarkson Board of Trustees in May 2004. | |
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| John M. Brilbeck '68 Co-Chair, E2E Campaign |
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John M. Brilbeck is the former president and owner of Southern Heat Exchanger Corporation in Tuscaloosa, Ala. From 1985 to 2000, Mr. Brilbeck directed Southern Heat Exchanger Corporation’s 600 percent growth in sales and 1200 percent growth in profit from 1981. He increased the plant size three times and implemented innovative cost reductions programs in manufacturing and engineering, while establishing a strong market presence needed to increase market share. At the time the company was sold to Harbor Group in 1998, it was the third largest supplier of shell and tube heat exchangers in the United States and was debt-free. Prior to Southern Heat Exchanger, Mr. Brilbeck started his business career at Carrier Corporation in 1968, achieving several management positions before moving to Southern Heat Exchanger in 1981. He earned his B.S. in industrial distribution from Clarkson in 1968 and his M.B.A. from Syracuse University in 1971. Mr. Brilbeck was elected to the Clarkson University Board of Trustees in October 2009 and currently serves on the finance & budget, institutional advancement, and academic affairs committees. | |
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Larry Delaney is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Clarkson University. Dr. Delaney is a senior executive specializing in space and missile systems, information systems, propulsion systems and environmental technology. Dr. Delaney retired as Vice President, Special Programs, L-3 Communications, following the acquisition of Titan Corporation by L-3 Communications. Previously he held the position of Executive Vice President of Operations and President and CEO of the Advanced Systems Development Sector of the Titan Corporation. Dr. Delaney was Chairman of the Board, CEO and President of Areté Associates from 2001-2003. He was Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) and Chief Information Officer from May 1999 to January 2001. From January 20, 2001 until June 1, 2001, Dr. Delaney held the position of Acting Secretary of the Air Force. Earlier in his career, Dr. Delaney was Senior Vice President and Deputy Sector Manager of SAIC. Earlier, he organized and directed the Navy Systems Division at Martin Marietta Denver Operations, and before that was Director of Advanced Programs at Martin Marietta Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Dr. Delaney currently serves as co-chairman of the National Academies ISR committee, a member of the DOD STEM committee and a member of the AF SAB committee on the F-22 Oxygen Generation System. He recently served as Chairman of the National Academies (NAS) Air Force Studies Board and as a member of the NAS Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Acquisition Committee. Dr. Delaney chaired the NAS SOCOM study on Universal RF Systems. He completed his term as Vice Chairman of the Army Science Board in Summer 2101. He serves as Chairman and Board Member on several high technology companies. Dr. Delaney received the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal for his work on the Army Science Board (1981-1988). In 2001, he was awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service and the Department of the Air Force Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service. He has authored numerous articles in research and engineering journals. Dr. Delaney was an Advanced Research Scholar at The Technical University of Berlin, Fritz Haber Institute. He received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a BChE and MChE from Clarkson University. |
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| Jean E. Spence '79 | ||
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Jean Spence is executive vice president of Research, Development & Quality for Kraft Foods. She is responsible for all product and packaging development, research, nutrition, quality, food safety and scientific affairs worldwide. Ms. Spence joined Kraft in 1981 as a research engineer for Maxwell House Coffee research and holds three U.S. and worldwide patents for her development work. She held a variety of management positions in Research and Development before being named quality assurance director in 1993. In 1994, Ms. Spence was named research director, Beverages, then became group director for Beverages and Desserts in 1995. She became vice president of technology in 1996 and vice president, Worldwide Quality and Scientific Relations, in 1990. In November 2001, she was appointed senior vice president of Worldwide Quality, Scientific Affairs and Compliance for Kraft Foods North America and was responsible for quality on a worldwide basis, coordinating global compliance programs, scientific relations, regulatory issues, microbiology and auditing. In 2003, Ms. Spence was named senior vice president, Research & Development, Kraft Foods North America. In that role, she oversaw basic research, nutrition, and product, package and process development. She assumed her current role in January 2004. Prior to joining Kraft, Ms. Spence worked in manufacturing as a process supervisor for Procter and Gamble in Staten Island, New York. She received a B.S. from Clarkson in 1979 and later earned an M.E. in chemical engineering from Manhattan College. In May 2006, Ms. Spence was elected to Clarkson's Board of Trustees. | |
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| Michael E. Jesanis '78, P'11 | ||
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Michael Jesanis is former president and chief executive officer of National Grid USA, a subsidiary of National Grid plc. Mr. Jesanis is also an executive director of National Grid and oversees the company’s distribution operations in the United States. National Grid USA distribution companies serve nearly four million electric and gas customers in New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. National Grid is one of the world’s leading energy delivery companies, operating principally in the United States and United Kingdom. He joined National Grid USA’s predecessor, New England Electric System in 1983. Previous to his current position, he had been chief operating officer of National Grid USA. Mr. Jesanis earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in mathematics from Clarkson University in 1977 and 1979, respectively, and a master of business administration degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1983. He was elected to the Clarkson Board of Trustees in February 2006. | |
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| James F. Wood '64 | ||
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James F. Wood is currently the deputy assistant secretary for Clean Coal in the Office of Fossil Energy (FE) in the U.S. Department of Energy. In this position, he is responsible for the management and direction of clean coal research and development programs. Chief among these is the Carbon Sequestration program, the Clean Coal Power Initiative, and FE's $3.4 billion portfolio of Recovery Act projects. Prior to his position at the Office of Fossil Energy, Mr. Wood was president and CEO of Babcock Power Inc., a $1 billion private enterprise he and his partners founded to hold certain assets acquired from Babcock Borsig AG, Oberhausen, Germany, in 2002. Mr. Wood has 30 years of experience in the power industry. Between 1996 and 2001, he served as president and COO of Babcock & Wilcox Co. and executive vice president of McDermott International Inc., its parent. Prior to that, he was president of WTI International Inc. and senior vice president and general manager of Wheelabrator Environmental Systems Inc., both subsidiaries of Wheelabrator Technologies Inc. He is the founder and managing partner of Crooked River Investments LLC, a private equity firm based in Ohio. He has considerable international experience, including extended periods of residency in Italy, India, Colombia, Belgium and the Czech Republic, and was selected as a delegate to the 1995 United States Presidential Mission on Sustainable Energy and Trade to China. Mr. Wood has held two federal appointments. He served as a member of the U.S.-Egyptian Presidents Council during the Clinton Administration and currently serves as a member of the Department of Energy’s National Coal Council, an advisory board to the Secretary of Energy. Mr. Wood received his B.S. in chemical engineering from Clarkson University in 1964 and his M.B.A. with a concentration in international finance from Kent State University. Mr. Wood has served on Clarkson's Board of Trustees since 1995. |
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| Jon Harrington '77 | ||
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Jon Harrington is a partner with Omni Capital, a technology-focused venture capital firm. He retired from Accenture in 2005 after serving, most recently, as the managing partner of North American Communications High Tech and Media practice. Mr. Harrington is involved in several not-for-profit and charitable organizations as a board member and in advisory positions. He graduated from Clarkson in 1977 with dual bachelor of science degrees in mathematics and industrial distribution and joined the Clarkson Board of Trustees in February 1999, serving through 2005. | |
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| Anthony G. Collins | ||
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Clarkson University President Anthony G. Collins is a regional and national advocate for higher education-industrial partnerships that couple research, discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise for commercialization and economic development. With a focus on advancing sustainable energy solutions and environmental technology innovation, he serves as the president of the Seaway Private Equity Corporation that invests in new technology companies based in St. Lawrence County, New York, and on the board for (TSEC) The Solar Energy Consortium, which mobilizes related resources in New York state. He is also the vice chair of New York's Commission of Independent Colleges and Universities and the chair of the national Association of Independent Technological Universities' Public Relations Committee. President Collins serves on the boards of the Central New York Metropolitan Development Authority, the Essential New York Initiative, the New York Indoor Environmental Quality Center, and the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environment and Energy Systems. Dr. Collins was among the primary architects of the Vision of a Clarkson Education that has guided evolution of the curriculum since 1995. As president, he now leads Clarkson's Evolution to Excellence, a comprehensive strategic plan elevating the University's academic reputation, strengthening its financial resources, and increasing the lifetime engagement of alumni. Growing up outside Melbourne, Australia, Dr. Collins earned an undergraduate civil engineering degree from Monash University, and then master's and doctoral degrees from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Prior to his doctoral studies, he worked for both Australian Consolidated Industries and Utah Development Company. After receiving his Ph.D. in 1982, Dr. Collins launched his career at Clarkson, in Potsdam, New York, as an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering. Subsequently rising to the rank of professor, he also assumed increasing levels of administrative responsibility, including department chair, dean, vice president for academic affairs, and provost. He was elected the 16th president of Clarkson University in 2003. |
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| Richard W. Johnson II | ||
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Richard W. Johnson II has been the vice president for philanthropy and alumni relations at Clarkson University since October 2010. He came to Clarkson from the United States Naval Academy Foundation, where he served for 10 years as executive vice president. A Colgate University and Officer Candidate School graduate, Mr. Johnson was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Naval Reserve after he graduated in 1969. He served in a variety of division officers positions aboard the USS Observation Island (AG-154) from 1969-72. Following his active duty tour, Mr. Johnson was a general assignment newspaper reporter for the Allentown (Pa.) Evening Chronicle before returning to Colgate to start his career in institutional advancement, where he served as assistant director of alumni programs (1976-77) and director of annual giving (1977-80). In 1980, he became director of development at Swarthmore College before coming to Clarkson in 1983, where he stayed until 1995. During this time, he held positions with increasing levels of responsibility, including director of development, associate vice president for development, vice president for development and vice president for development and communications. From 1995-2000, Mr. Johnson led Bucknell University’s institutional advancement program as vice president for university relations, leading 70 employees and hundreds of volunteers to success in Bucknell’s $188 million Design for the Future campaign. At the Naval Academy Foundation, Mr. Johnson directed the highly successful Leaders to Serve the Nation campaign, which raised $254 million in private gift support to underwrite strategic priorities at the Naval Academy. |
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| Goodarz Ahmadi | ||
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Professor Goodarz Ahmadi is the dean of the Coulter School of Engineering at Clarkson University. He is also a Clarkson Distinguished Professor and held the endowed chair of the Robert R. Hill '48 Professor of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering. He is internationally known for his numerous engineering and scientific research contributions. Dr. Ahmadi earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1965 from Tehran University, his master’s degree in civil engineering in 1968 and his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering in 1970 both from Purdue University. Dr. Ahmadi was a professor of mechanical engineering at Shiraz University from 1970-1981 and was appointed as dean of the Engineering School at Shiraz University in 1979-1980. In 1982, Dr. Ahmadi joined Clarkson University as a professor of mechanical and aeronautical engineering. He became Clarkson University's First Distinguished Professor in 2001; the Robert R. Hill '48 Professor of the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering in 2003; the interim vice provost for research in 2004-2005; and interim dean of engineering in 2005-2007. | |
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| Peter Turner | ||
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Peter Turner is Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences at Clarkson University, a position he has held since July 2008. He grew up in England — in the Liverpool area during the Beatles era. He received his B.Sc. (Honors) in mathematics in 1970 and his Ph.D. in pure mathematics in 1973, both from the University of Sheffield. After a year as a post doctorate in applied mathematics at Sheffield, he joined the faculty of the University of Lancaster as a lecturer in numerical analysis. During this time, his research interests developed to include systems of computer arithmetic. In 1987, Dean Turner moved to the U.S. Naval Academy, where he stayed as a professor of mathematics until 2002. At the Naval Academy, Dean Turner received awards for both his teaching and his research. His efforts in founding the Center for Computational Science and Engineering at USNA also resulted in his being named to the first USNA Teaching Fellowship. He came to Clarkson in 2002 as chair of the Department of Mathematics & Computer Science. He has published four undergraduate texts in scientific computing, edited three volumes of conference proceedings, (co-)authored more than 40 research papers, and served on national committees for the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). Most recently for SIAM, he has been named the inaugural editor-in-chief of SIAM Undergraduate Research Online (SIURO), a new publication that focuses on the best of undergraduate research in applied and computational mathematics. In January 2009, Dean Turner also took the position of SIAM vice president for education. | |
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| Steve J. Yianoukos '72 | ||
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Steve Yianoukos was named Clarkson University’s director of athletics in August 2005. The Potsdam, New York native, who became the University’s eighth athletic director, has been actively involved with Clarkson’s Department of Physical Education, Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation since his undergraduate days at the University in the early 1970s. Yianoukos served as the associate director of athletics since 1997 and before that was the executive officer of Physical Education/Recreation from 1984 to 1997. Yianoukos has overseen Clarkson’s Division III athletics programs, managed all home Division III athletic contests, monitored NCAA/Liberty League institutional policies and sports guidelines, and led fund-raising initiatives for the department, including the Green and Gold Club, Athletic Annual Fund, Athletic Hall of Fame and the Athletic Alumni Council. Yianoukos graduated from Clarkson in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial management. He served as the facility manager for the Town of Potsdam’s Pine Street Arena from 1972-1977 and was named the town’s recreation director/facility manager in 1977. Yianoukos also worked as a Zamboni driver in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. He is involved in numerous local professional and civic organizations. |
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| Kelly O. Chezum | ||
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Appointed by President Collins in 2003 to lead a comprehensive integrated marketing and long-range planning initiative, Kelly O. Chezum serves as vice president of External Relations at Clarkson University. With 20 years of experience as a creative marketing professional and administrator in the public, private and government sectors, Dr. Chezum has oversight of Web and publication development, board relations and governance issues, media and public relations, special projects and events, and strategic planning and communications. On behalf of the University, she also commits her energy to economic development initiatives advancing the quality of life in the North Country as well as to several national committees and regular speaking engagements for the Association of Governing Boards, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and the Association of Independent Technological Universities. Dr. Chezum was the director of Corporate & Foundation Relations during the last campaign for Clarkson where she made numerous alumni and partner connections and collaborated with faculty and staff to raise more than $77 million in private support. She did her undergraduate studies in marketing and communications at Carroll University, is a graduate of Clarkson's M.B.A. program, and holds a doctorate in law and policy from Northeastern University. | |
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| Paul Julin | ||
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Paul Julin is associate vice president of philanthropy and alumni relations at Clarkson University. He has experience leading philanthropy programs in higher education, human services and politics. Julin directed development within the University of Washington’s College of Engineering, with an eight-year campaign goal of $250 million. At The Boeing Company, he managed engineer communications, and before that he worked with a Tufts venture at Boston University. He has a graduate degree from Yale University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame. | |
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