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June-July 2005
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CAMPUS NEWS |
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| Board of Trustees Elects New Chair
“I’m honored and privileged to have this opportunity to serve my alma mater,” said Bains. “I appreciate the confidence of the board and look forward to working with Dr. Ladner to continue the university’s extraordinary growth.” Before joining AFS Intercultural Programs in 2004, Bains forged a 38-year career in banking, which included posts as senior executive vice president of HSBC North America and vice president at Chase Manhattan. Such experience should come in handy in her new post, as she expects financial growth to remain a priority at the university. “Fund raising is absolutely essential,” said Bains. “The financial progress the university has made over the last 10 years, raising the endowment from $29 million to $251 million, is staggering. But it’s still clearly not enough for a university of this size.” As president of AFS Intercultural Programs, Bains directed a network of exchange programs for more than 11,000 students from more than 50 countries over the last year. However, taking on what she described as “the awesome responsibility” of chairing AU’s Board of Trustees, she decided to step down from AFS and is now a partner in a private New York equity firm concentrating on financial services and investment management. Looking toward the future of AU, Bains stressed that her vision for the university is the “shared vision” of the 15 points, which AU President Benjamin Ladner has worked with the board to implement over the last five years. “This is truly a university on the move,” said Bains. “What has been accomplished over the last decade is remarkable. But we need to keep going. We need to continue to implement the 15 points . . . There’s much to celebrate, but there’s also much work to be done.” Living in New Jersey with her husband of 35 years, Bains also serves as the vice chair of the Board of Visitors of the Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy at Duke University; is a board member of Duke University’s Medical Health Systems, the Jewish Museum, and the American University of Sharjah; and holds a seat on the operating committee of the Roundabout Theatre in New York City. The university’s Board of Trustees elected Thomas Gottschalk to assume the vice chair position previously held by Bains. A senior vice president and general counsel at General Motors, Gottschalk has served on the board since 1995. Elected chair in 2001, George Collins exited the post after serving two consecutive terms, the maximum number of consecutive terms an AU board chair can serve. “George has been invaluable as a chair because of his extraordinary business experience and leadership,” said Bains. “The board owes him a debt of gratitude for his dedication.” -Matt Getty, originally published in American Weekly |
The AU Board of Trustees elected Leslie Bains, CAS/BA '65, as its new chair in May. Bains, who most recently served as president of AFS Intercultural Programs, a community based nonprofit fostering intercultural exchange, has been a member of the board since 1994 and has served as vice chair since 2001. She succeeds George Collins, who will remain on the Board of Trustees after ending his second term as chair.