Porter Named Acting President
Long-serving VP Hugh Porter will take the reins during transition period while Reed searches for a new president.
The board of trustees has selected Hugh Porter, currently vice president for college relations, to become Reed’s acting president, effective July 1, 2018.
“With great appreciation for the trust bestowed on me by the board of trustees, I am honored to serve as Reed’s interim president,” Porter stated. “This distinctive institution, a college beyond compare, has been much more than my professional home for the past two decades. I look forward to working in partnership with Reed’s exemplary faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends while leading the college through this next chapter.”
Board Chairman Roger Perlmutter ’73 said Porter’s 20 years of executive-level leadership at the college positions him to provide stability and focus while moving college initiatives forward during the transition period.
“Hugh brings to the interim presidency a profound commitment to liberal arts education and an equally deep understanding of Reed,” Perlmutter said. “His thoughtful advice on the operations of the college has earned the respect of the entire Reed community.”
Porter’s impact on Reed has been significant. His leadership and fundraising success have led to numerous advancements in the breadth and depth of the academic program, substantial increases in student financial aid, and important funding for changes to the built environment. Porter planned and spearheaded the largest fundraising effort in Reed’s history, which concluded in December 2012 with more than $203 million raised. In addition to being responsible for the college’s fundraising efforts, Porter currently oversees, , conference and events planning, and the , which helps students visualize their lives after graduation.
Porter came to Reed in 1998 from Yale University, where he held a senior position in the development office. He earned his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in music history from Yale and is an accomplished cellist.
Porter will serve as acting president following the recent resignation of President John R. Kroger, whom Perlmutter lauded for invaluable leadership during a six-year tenure that coincided with a period of rapid advancement for Reed. “We thank President Kroger for his stewardship of Reed, maintaining our highest standards of intellectual excellence while remaining a powerful advocate for education in the liberal arts and sciences,” Perlmutter said.
Tags: Campus Life, Institutional