Building named to honor late director

UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State trustees on Friday agreed to rename Rider I Building the James M. Elliott Building, a change meant to recognize a late director of human resources.

The change will go into effect immediately at the building, on the 100 block of South Burrowes Street, State College. Rider II Building, at South Burrowes and West Beaver Avenue, will become Rider Building.

That name recognizes Charles and Jean Rider, who donated the property on which the building sits. Elliott, a 1954 Penn State graduate, worked almost 52 years at the university. He died in April 2007.

After he retired in June 2006, university President Graham Spanier awarded him emeritus status to honor “his exemplary and meritorious service to Penn State,” according to a university statement.

In other developments at the board meeting, trustees agreed to honor and recognize Richard E. Grubb, who died Dec. 13 at age 70.

Board Vice Chairman Steve Garban presented the resolution to recognize Grubb, who was a Penn State trustee and a longtime university administrator. He retired from the administration in 1991 and was honored at that point as senior vice president and dean emeritus of the Penn State Commonwealth Educational System.

Grubb, of State College, also served as a state secretary of agriculture in the mid-1980s.

Garban, himself a former university administrator, worked with Grubb. They both began working at Penn State in the early 1960s.

“Dick loved this institution dearly,” Garban said. “He served it with total commitment and deep passion.” — Adam Smeltz

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