Current Cornell College Trustees
Executive Committee
Chair: John McGrane '73
Chair-Elect: Gilda Boyer '84
At-Large: Mildred Carstensen '66
At-Large: Jean Russell '65
Chair, Governance Committee: Thomas Durham '77
Vice-Chair, Academic and Student Affairs Policy Committee: Jan Thomas '80
Vice-Chair, Alumni and College Advancement Policy Committee: Gilda Boyer '84
Vice-Chair, Buildings and Grounds Policy Committee: Jerry Ringer '59
Vice-Chair, Business Affairs Policy Committee: Frances Kao '85
Vice-Chair, Enrollment and Communications Policy Committee: Loren Hiratzka '66
President of the College: Jonathan Brand (ex-officio)
Profiles of Our Current Trustees
Gilda Vinzulis Boyer '84
Attorney, Shuttleworth & Ingersoll (retired), Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Gilda Vinzulis Boyer is a member of the Cornell Class of 1984, one of the first classes to experience four years of One Course At A Time. She majored in political science and economics. While at Cornell, she was a Rood House resident assistant, a member of Kappa Theta, and a writer for The Cornellian, including covering the presidential candidate visits leading up to the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses in 1984. After Cornell, she attended the University of Iowa Law School, where she was the first woman editor-in-chief of the Journal of Corporation Law, graduating with honors in 1991. She was a senior member of Shuttleworth and Ingersoll, P.L.C., located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and built a practice advising small business clients. Gilda retired from the firm in 2008. She has served and chaired numerous community boards, and has continued with her spouse, Barry Boyer ’84, to be involved in promoting community philanthropy, primarily in the area of entrepreneurship. Gilda and Barry have two adult children, and split their time between Iowa and Colorado.
Jonathan Brand
President of the College, ex-officio member
Jonathan Brand has been president of Cornell College since July 2011. He holds a law degree from Cornell University, a master’s degree in French literature from the University of Michigan, and a bachelor’s degree in history and French from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jonathan has written articles and columns for higher education publications, including the Chronicle of Higher Education as well as for The Huffington Post, and has spoken at conferences sponsored by the NCAA and the Council of Independent Colleges, among others. In addition to his administrative work, Jonathan has taught courses on political science and constitutional law at Grinnell, Doane, and Nanjing University in China. He also teaches at Cornell. Jonathan and his wife Rachelle LaBarge have two adult children.
Andrew Briscoe '96
Cornell College Alumni Association Board President, ex-officio member
Andy Briscoe grew up in New London, Missouri, and came to Cornell in the fall of 1992. He graduated in 1996 with a double major in history and communications. Andy attended Saint Louis University School of Law, earning his law degree in 2006. He is the Central Region Legislative Director for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Jefferson City, Missouri. He previously served as director of budget and legislation for the Missouri Division of Professional Registration, following positions as legislative director for the Missouri Department of Corrections; general counsel for the Missouri Department of Public Safety; assistant prosecuting attorney of Ralls County, Missouri; attorney in private law practice with his father; and law clerk for the Honorable Roy Richter with the Missouri Court of Appeals. Additionally, Andy has served as an adjunct instructor for Moberly Area Community College and Columbia College. He is pursuing a doctorate in political science from the University of South Dakota. Andy has been a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2012, serving as president since 2015. He served his class as the Young Trustee on the Cornell Board of Trustees from 1996-1999, and is the longtime Class of 1996 class agent. He resides in Jefferson City, Missouri.
Peter S. Bryant, P'88
Senior Vice President and Principal, Ruffalo Noel Levitz, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Peter Bryant is a Coe College graduate with a degree in economics, and also holds a master’s degree from the University of Iowa. He is senior vice president and principal of Ruffalo Noel Levitz, LLC, providing technology-enabled solutions and services for enrollment, student success, and fundraising in the higher education and nonprofit communities. Peter has conducted enrollment assessments and consulted with more than 750 institutions in his career. In addition, he has more than 25 years of enrollment management experience serving Coe College, Drake University, Kirkwood Community College, and the University of Iowa in addition to Cornell College, where he was vice president for enrollment and dean of admission. He also served on the staff of a worldwide public relations firm, a Young & Rubicam affiliate based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Peter first joined the Cornell Board of Trustees in 1993 and has served several terms. He is an active civic leader and past national officer in several higher education organizations. Peter and his wife, JoAnn, have two adult children. Their daughter, Julie Lynn Bryant, earned a degree in English in 1988 from Cornell College.
Mildred G. Carstensen '66
Lecturer, Researcher & Higher Education Policy Consultant, Westbrook, Connecticut
Mildred Carstensen graduated from Cornell College in 1966 with majors in French and psychology. She holds a master’s degree in teaching (French) from Yale University, and a doctor of education degree in administration, planning, and social policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Millie has spent her career as an educator, beginning as a high school French teacher in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1967. She subsequently served as assistant director of admissions at the University of Chicago and program officer at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and Public Policy before holding several positions at the University of Connecticut: registrar of the West Hartford Campus, director of foundation relations, founding director of the diversity engineering program at the School of Engineering, and special assistant to the vice chancellor for business and operation services (facilitating participation in the UConn 2000 building program). She has taught graduate courses in educational leadership and organizations at the University of Hartford, the University of Massachusetts, and as a fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She consults and writes on a range of educational policy and organizational issues. Millie joined the Cornell Board of Trustees in 2007. She and her husband, Fred, live in Westbrook, Connecticut.
Albert "Bert" Cornelison, P'14
Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Halliburton (retired), La Jolla, California
Bert Cornelison earned a bachelor of science degree from Santa Clara University in 1971 and a law degree from the University of California, Davis in 1974. Bert recently retired as executive vice president of Halliburton and was its general counsel for over a decade. Prior to 2002 he was associate general counsel and vice president, overseeing Halliburton’s intellectual property, environmental, and litigation practices groups. Bert became a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees in 2016. He is married to Julie Cornelison and they live in Houston, Texas. Their daughter, Morgan Cornelison, is a 2014 Cornell College graduate. Morgan is a graduate student in international relations at American University in Washington, D.C.
Steven DeAngeles '84
Physician, SJD Innovative Care, Riverwoods, Illinois
Steven DeAngeles earned a B.A. from Cornell College in 1984 with a major in biology. He earned his M.D. from Southern Illinois University. Steve is a physician in internal medicine in Chicago with teaching positions at Northwestern University and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Additionally, Dr. DeAngeles has been granted four U.S. patents in the alternative energy field. He started Innovative Technology Advisors, which is working with the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois on the Chicago Living Waterway Project. Steve has been a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees since 2013. He comes from a family with strong Cornell connections. His wife, father, and brother are Cornell graduates. Steve and his wife, Sallie Marotta DeAngeles ’86 have three adult daughters and reside in Riverwoods, Illinois.
Thomas C. Durham '77
Attorney, Mayer Brown LLP (retired), Scottsdale, Arizona
Tom Durham grew up in DeWitte, Iowa, just down the road from Cornell, which he entered in 1973. He graduated in 1977 with majors in philosophy and history. After Cornell, he attended New York University Law School, where he earned his law degree in 1980 and served as an editor on the Review of Law and Social Change. After law school, Tom joined Mayer, Brown and Platt, a global law firm based in Chicago, where he specialized in the litigation of federal tax cases. He retired from the practice of law in April of 2015. Tom has been a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees since 2009. He and his wife, Martha Hemenway Durham ’78, reside in Scottsdale, Arizona. They have two adult children.
Maricruz Gutierrez-Villa '14
Cornell Class of 2014 Young Trustee, Smithsonian Institution, Frederick, Maryland
Maricruz Gutierrez-Villa was born in Miguel Alemán, Tamaulipas, México, and raised in Rio Grande City, Texas. At an early age, Maricruz knew she wanted to study out-of-state and pursue a liberal arts education, which led her to apply to Cornell College. Maricruz graduated from Cornell in 2014 with majors in archaeology and art history with a minor in Spanish. After Cornell, she lived in Chicago while working as an intern at the Field Museum for the Calumet National Heritage Area Initiative. She is currently at the Smithsonian Institution working with an emergency response team involved with cultural heritage in armed conflict and natural disasters. Maricruz is the Young Trustee from the Class of 2014. She resides in Washington, D.C.
Angelica Hall '15
Cornell Class of 2015 Young Trustee, Behavioral Health Technician, Solutions Treatment Center of American Addiction Centers, Las Vegas, Nevada
Born in San Bernardino, California, and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, Angelica Hall came to Cornell College in the fall of 2011 as a first generation college student. She graduated in 2015 with majors in biology and psychological science. Currently she is pursuing work experience in hopes to gain insight on the business of healthcare. She will pursue a master’s degree in health administration and/or a master’s in business administration degree. Her ultimate career goal is to become a healthcare administrator. Alongside school, she is currently a behavioral health technician at Solutions Treatment Center of American Addiction Centers, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility. Angelica is the Young Trustee of the Class of 2015. She resides in South West Las Vegas, Nevada.
Loren Hiratzka '66
Cardiothoracic Surgeon, TriHealth Heart Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio
Loren F. Hiratzka was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, then moved to Wichita, Kansas, during high school. He graduated from Cornell College in 1966 as a biology major, then received his M.D. at the University of Iowa College of Medicine in 1970. He did a general surgery internship and residency at Harbor General Hospital in Torrance, California, between 1970 and 1977, with a two-year hiatus as a physician and surgeon in the U.S. Air Force. He returned to the University of Iowa to complete a research and clinical fellowship in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery in 1980, and remained on the Medical School faculty until 1986. He then moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he practiced cardio-thoracic surgery until the fall of 2015. Loren now serves as quality leader for the TriHealth Heart Institute (Bethesda North and Good Samaritan Hospitals), and as chair of the Quality and Clinical Integration Committee for a multi-hospital network in the greater Cincinnati area. He has spent many years as a volunteer for the American Heart Association helping to develop evidence-based guidelines for medicine and surgery. Loren joined the Cornell Board of Trustees in 2013. Loren and his wife, Debra, live in Cincinnati with some time spent in Keystone, Colorado, where he is a part-time ski instructor. They have four adult children.
Jeffrey J. Jensen '81
CEO, National Motor Club of America, Inc., Colleyville, Texas
Jeffrey J. Jensen graduated from Cornell College in 1981 with majors in economics and philosophy. After Cornell, he attended the University of Texas at Arlington, earning his master of science degree in information systems. Jeff is a partner with JFP Group, a diversified investment management company located in Irving, Texas, owned and operated by the Jensen family. JFO actively invests in public and private equity as well as real estate. Jeff has been a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees since 2011. He and his wife, Lou Anne, reside in Colleyville, Texas. They have three children.
Maureen Johnson '87
Vice President, Tax, Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, Inc., New York, New York
Maureen Johnson grew up in Davenport, Iowa, and entered Cornell in 1983. She graduated with a degree in economics and business and French literature in 1987. After Cornell, she attended the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird) in Arizona, graduating in 1989. Following a quick stint in banking in Houston, Texas, she moved overseas and entered the world of international taxation. Maureen spent 15 years in London and Paris working for Arthur Andersen, Hines, a start-up, and Virgin Media. Currently, Maureen is the senior vice president, tax, for LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton Inc., and resides in New York, New York. Maureen has been a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees since 2011.
Judy Hesler Jorgensen '60
Dean of Academic Support (retired), Waukesha County Technical College, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Judy Hesler Jorgensen came to Cornell College in 1956 from suburban Chicago. On day two, Judy met Gary Jorgensen. They were married shortly after graduation in 1960. Judy was an English and secondary education major and taught English in grades 7 through college in Iowa. After moving to Wisconsin, Judy began working at Waukesha County Technical College and became the dean of academic support. That division provided basic skills training to adults, English as a second language, career education, minority student services, and high school completion programs. Judy began a program to assist at-risk high school students to complete their diplomas and a school-to-work program with all the area high schools. She received a master of science degree in continuing and adult education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1980. Judy has been a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees since 2003. She and her husband have four adult children and 12 grandchildren. They split their time between Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, and Naples, Florida.
Frances Kao '85
Mediator and Arbitrator, Chicago, Illinois
Frances Kao graduated from Cornell College in 1985, majoring in history and theater. She found her future profession when she took Constitutional Law as a sophomore. Frances went on to earn a law degree in 1992 from Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law and became a partner at the international law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP. Before she retired from practicing law at age 48, Frances was resident in Skadden’s Hong Kong office, heading up the U.S. dispute resolution and investigations practice for the Asia Pacific region. Frances now designs and builds homes in Chicago. Using principles of universal design, the homes she builds are perfect for all ages and all physical abilities.
Linda Webb Koehn '66
Community Volunteer, Des Moines, Iowa
Linda Webb Koehn graduated from Cornell College in 1966 with a major in English. She also holds a master of arts degree from the University of Iowa and a master of science degree from Drake University. Linda taught for 20 years and then became a community leader and philanthropist. She has served in leadership capacities with many civic and cultural organizations in the Des Moines, Iowa, metro area, including the Des Moines Symphony, the Des Moines Metro Opera, the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, the Science Center of Iowa, and Variety, The Children’s Charity. Linda is a board member of The Waldinger Corporation where her husband, Tom, is CEO. She also serves as a trustee of the Naples Children and Education Foundation supporting children in Collier County, Florida. Linda joined the Cornell Board of Trustees in 2011 and serves as vice chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee. She and her husband have residences in Des Moines, Iowa, and Naples, Florida.
John D. McGrane '73
Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, Bethesda, Maryland
Born and raised in Waverly, Iowa, John McGrane came to Cornell in 1969 as a first-generation college student, and graduated in 1973 with majors in philosophy and political science. He attended Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., earning his law degree in 1976. John currently is a partner in Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, a global law firm, and is a member of the firm’s Energy Practice Group in Washington, D.C. He is a past chair of the Legal Committee of the Edison Electric Institute. John has been a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees since 2001 and Board Chair since 2011. He and his wife, Martha Benson McGrane ‘73, reside in Bethesda, Maryland, and also have a home in Mount Vernon, Iowa. They have three adult children.
Edward G. Meads '67
Senior Vice President of National Sales, Welvie, Hudson, Wisconsin
Born in New Jersey, raised in Dallas, Texas, Wilton, Connecticut, and ultimately Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ted attended Cornell College, graduating in 1967 with a major in history. He went on to receive a master of divinity degree from United Theological Seminary and a master’s of public health degree from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Over his career, Ted has been involved in many aspects of healthcare from serving on the faculty of the University of Minnesota, as a staff aide to a Virginia Senator, and in national sales in four different startup healthcare companies. He is currently the senior vice president of national sales for Welvie, a healthcare company focused on shared decision-making related to elective surgery. Ted has been a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees since 2009. He and his wife, Susan, live in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. They have four adult children (one of whom graduated from Cornell in 2011) and eight grandchildren (one of whom is a Cornell student and member of the Class of 2019).
Peter R. Morris
President, CEO, and Portfolio Manager, Homestead Funds, Inc. (retired), McLean, Virginia
Peter Morris is a 1971 Coe College graduate with a dual major in economics and philosophy. Peter recently retired as president, CEO, and portfolio manager at Homestead Funds Inc., a money management firm in Arlington, Virginia. He also served as the director and president of RE Advisers, and as vice president and chief investment officer of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). He assumed management of NRECA’s retirement funds in 1977 and the following year started the process of managing assets in-house. As the assets performed well, a demand was created for an investment vehicle and Homestead Funds was established in 1990 to meet this growing demand. Peter became a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees in 2016. He and his wife, Jainel, live in McLean, Virginia.
Kayla Morton '16
Cornell Class of 2016 Young Trustee, Graduate Student, Cincinnati, Ohio
Kayla Morton is an international relations and Russian major who graduated from Cornell College in 2016. Kayla is a graduate student residing in Cincinnati, Ohio following her 2016-17 year as a Fulbright Program English Teaching Assistant, teaching Azerbaijani college students English and American culture.
Janene Panfil '89
Senior Vice President for Retention Solutions, Ruffalo Noel Levitz, Iowa City, Iowa
Janene Panfil graduated from Cornell College in 1989, majoring in politics and English. She then earned both a law degree and a master of arts degree in higher education administration from the University of Iowa in 1992. She began her career working for Noel-Levitz in Iowa City, Iowa, and is today a senior vice president for retention solutions with Ruffalo Noel Levitz, working as an attorney and higher education consultant. She provides vision and direction for the firm’s resources for student success. Janene also works with the firm’s student retention consultants to develop new innovations that will help campuses increase student success and completion. Janene has been a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees since 2013. She and her husband, Don Stumbo, have two children and reside in Iowa City, Iowa.
Harper Reed '01
Entrepreneur in Residence, Next Generation Commerce Team, PayPal, Chicago, Illinois
Harper Reed earned a degree in computer science from Cornell College in 2001. His first job out of college was as an engineer for World Book Publishing. From 2005 to 2009, he was the Chief Technology Officer of a clothing company called Threadless, where he helped pioneer the online business model of crowd-sourcing. Harper went on to serve as Chief Technology Officer for Obama for America from April 2011 through the November 2012 election. He was also the CEO of a mobile payment platform called Modest which was purchased by PayPal in 2015. Harper is now entrepreneur in residence for Next Generation Commerce Team at PayPal. He was identified by the Chicago Tribune as "Someone to watch in 2014" calling Reed and his Modest partner "Chicago's best-pedigreed software developers". In 2014 Harper was given the Young Alumni Achievement Award from Cornell College. Harper currently resides in Chicago with his wife, Hiromi Nakazawa '01 where he, in his own words, "builds paradigm-shifting technology and leads others to do the same."
Jerry Ringer '59
Ophthalmologist (retired), Bloomington, Illinois
Jerry Ringer graduated from Cornell College in 1959 with a degree in biology and went on to earn an M.D. in Ophthalmology from the University of Iowa in 1963. He had a successful career as an ophthalmologist in Bloomington, Illinois before retiring in 2003. He has taken trips to Africa to perform eye treatments and surgery. Jerry was one of the first ophthalmologists in downstate Illinois to perform outpatient surgery. Cornell has been a part of Jerry's life since his childhood. He grew up in Mount Vernon and his father is a Cornell alumnus. Jerry previously served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, on Cornell's 2010 Presidential Search committee, and is one of the longest serving members of Cornell's Board of Trustees—including as Board Chair from 1999 to 2002. He is married to Carole Ringer and the couple has three adult children.
Jean Russell '65
Faculty Member and Researcher (retired), Washington University in St. Louis, Pentwater, Michigan
Jean Russell was raised in Park Ridge, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, and attended Cornell College from 1961 to 1965, graduating with a biology major and chemistry minor. Thereafter, she attended Rice University and graduated in 1971 with a doctoral degree in biology (endocrinology specialty). Jean was on the faculty of Washington University in St Louis, Missouri from 1970 to 1993, continuing her research/teaching in the vitamin/hormone/Ca metabolism field. Jean has been a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees since 2013. Jean is now retired and residing in Pentwater, Michigan.
Scott Simmer '73
Managing Partner, Simmer Law Group PLLC, Silver Spring, Maryland
Scott Simmer graduated from Cornell College in 1973, majoring in English and political science. He also holds a master of fine arts degree in creative writing and English from the University of Arkansas, and a law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law. Scott is the managing partner of the Simmer Law Group PLLC in Washington, D.C., where he represents whistleblowers in cases alleging fraud that has financially impacted federal and state governments in the areas of health care, for-profit education, government contracting, securities, and banking fraud related to the financial meltdown. Prior to moving his law practice to Washington, D.C., in 1998, Scott practiced in Des Moines, Iowa, including as in-house counsel and chief litigation counsel for the Principal Financial Group. Scott joined the Cornell Board of Trustees in 2016. His parents were Cornell alumni, as are his sister and brother. Scott has two sons. He and his wife, Peg Schoen, reside in Silver Spring, Maryland.
John Smith '71
Chairman of the Board, CRST International, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
John Smith graduated from Cornell College in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and business. He received his master of business administration degree from Cornell University Johnson Graduate School of Business in 1974. In 1983, John assumed leadership of his family’s business, CRST International, one of the nation’s largest transportation companies. John has been an active member of the Cornell Board of Trustees since 2004, serving as chair from 2008-2011. He and his wife, Dyan, an honorary Cornell alumna, reside in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Their philanthropy and leadership include supporting causes across the spectrum of education, health care, economic development, and the arts.
Sheryl Atkinson Stoll '70
Attorney, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP (retired), Columbus, Ohio
Sheryl Atkinson Stoll was born and raised in Waterloo, Iowa, and came to Cornell in 1966. Like many, she was a first-generation college student, graduating in 1970 with majors in education and sociology. After several years of elementary school teaching, Sheryl entered the University of Iowa College of Law, earning her law degree in 1981. She began her legal career as a corporate attorney with Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Pittsburgh, moving on to become a partner with the global firm of Buchanan Ingersoll Rooney. for many years as a member of the firm’s technology and intellectual property practice group. Sheryl was the first recipient of the Athena Award from the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce for her work with women-owned businesses and start-ups. In 1993, she was appointed by the U.S. Department of Commerce to a three-year term on the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems multi-national steering committee charged with drafting legal standards for international partnerships. Sheryl relocated with her family to Columbus, Ohio, in 1997, where she joined the national law firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease. She retired from legal practice in 2010. Sheryl has been a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees since 2002. She and her husband, William, an honorary Cornell alumnus, have homes in Columbus, Ohio, and Dallas, Texas, and are also frequent international travelers. They have three adult children and three young grandsons.
Jan Thomas '80, P'13
Professor of Sociology, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio
Jan Thomas grew up in Mount Vernon, Iowa, and graduated from Cornell College in 1980 with a major in sociology. She received her master of arts degree in social services administration from the University of Chicago in 1982 and worked for several years in women’s health and as a public health educator. She received her doctoral degree in sociology from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1995. Jan has been teaching at Kenyon College since 2000, and has most recently been serving as an associate provost. In 2011-12 and 2015-16, Jan had the opportunity to teach on the Block Plan as a visiting professor at Colorado College. Jan joined the Cornell Board of Trustees in 2015. Home base for Jan and her husband, Gary Doernhoefer, is Gambier, Ohio. Their son, Eric, graduated from Cornell in 2013, and their daughter, Liz, graduated from Colorado College in 2016. Jan is also the daughter of the Rev. Richard Thomas, former campus chaplain and history professor at Cornell.
John Turner '94
Head of Trading, Alyeska Investment Group, Chicago, Illinois
John Turner grew up in Texas. He earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science and economics and business from Cornell College in 1994, and a master of business administration degree from Washington University in 2004. He is a hedge fund manager with Alyeska Investment Group in Chicago, Illinois. He was formerly a senior trader with Banc of America Capital Management in New York City, and also worked in securities operations with ANB Investment Management & Trust in Chicago. John joined the Cornell Board of Trustees in 2014. He and his wife, Ann Loewe Turner ‘94, have three children and reside in Chicago.
Maxine Urheim
Marketing Manager (retired), Scottsdale, Arizona
Maxine Urheim grew up in Miami, Florida, and attended the University of Miami, graduating in 1974 with a bachelor of science in biology. She also holds a master of science degree in advertising from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Maxine began her career at Searle in Chicago, where she met and then married John Urheim, who graduated from Cornell College in 1962 and who served on the Cornell Board of Trustees from 1997 until his death in 2014. Following her tenure at Searle, Maxine spent 24 years in sales and marketing at Abbott Laboratories where she held various management positions in both the diagnostics and pharmaceutical products divisions. Maxine retired from Abbott in 2005. She now spends her time in Colorado and Arizona. Maxine became a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees in 2015.
Richard John Williams '63
Partner, Hlustik, Huizenga, Williams & VanderWoude, Ltd, Chicago, Illinois
Richard John Williams received his bachelor of arts degree from Cornell College in 1963 and his law degree from Georgetown University Law School, Washington, D.C., in 1966. Richard is a partner at Hlustik, Huizenga, Williams & Vander Woude, Ltd., a Chicago law firm which has a business, tax, and estate practice. Richard is also the non-executive Chairman of the Board of Handgards, Inc., a distributor and manufacturer of disposable plastic film products for use in the foodservice industry in the United States and Canada. In addition, he is CEO of HP El Sauz Ranch, an agribusiness in south Texas, the operations of which include cattle ranching, farming, commercial hunting, wildlife management programs, and gas and oil activities. Richard has been a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees since 1989. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Chicago Academy of Sciences and its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Richard and his wife, Marlene Goodale, have two adult children and live in Chicago.
Life Trustees
Tom Adams '63
Jean T. Beal '52
John M. Bickel '66
Ernest J. Buresh, P'74
Thomas Cox '52
Gilbert X. Drendel '58, P'82, P'83
Neil E. Eckles '62
Thomas L. Jarom '66
Peter Paul Luce, Honorary Alumnus, P'91
Mary Seidler '61
Richard Small '50, P'75
H. Lee Swanson '60
Charles F. Warden '41, P'66
Honorary Trustees
Ann MacGregor
Norma Small, Honorary Alumna, P'83