Penn State trustees elect new board chair, vice chair for the first time in four years
The Penn State board of trustees elected new leadership of the board on Friday.
As required annually in November by the board’s bylaws, Penn State’s board elected a chair and vice chair, as well as other officer positions. Trustees selected David Kleppinger as chair and Richard Sokolov as vice chair.
Another trustee, Anthony Lubrano, declared candidacy for chair but said he withdrew his candidacy before Friday’s meeting because “David Kleppinger is the better candidate.”
Trustee Julie Anna Potts spoke highly of Kleppinger while she nominated him as chair, noting his high energy and enthusiasm for the university and critical leadership skills. He works with an open mind and a desire to learn, she said.
“He is the right chair for the time that we have upcoming, and I am just looking forward to the best years ahead with the leadership and partnership we have with this administration, with Neeli (Bendapudi) and with David,” Potts said. One trustee, Barry Fenchak, voted against Kleppinger’s nomination.
Matthew Schuyler, who was elected as chair of the board in 2020 and previously served as the vice chair, said these roles come with “immense responsibility” and a large time commitment but he is confident the board is in good hands with Kleppinger and Sokolov.
Schuyler reflected on his time as chair, during which he helped lead the university through the COVID-19 pandemic, hiring a new university president and other challenges. He thanked the board members for their support and dedication.
“We have navigated some of the most complex issues together these last four years. We’ve debated vigorously. We’ve made decisions that will impact the future of this great institution for generations to come. I’ve learned from each of you, and I believe the strength of this board lies in its diversity of thought, perspective and passion for our shared mission,” he said.
Kleppinger applauded Schuyler’s leadership through large projects including the Beaver Stadium renovation, expanding the field hockey complex and building new classroom buildings across campuses, navigating an ever changing higher education landscape, reimagining the budget model and updating the board bylaws.
He said it’s a “distinct honor” and privilege to be selected chair. He emphasized the board’s core values — integrity, respect, responsibility, discovery, excellence and community — as they look at the work that lies ahead.
“Those core values establish the foundation upon which our operating strategies and culture have to continue to evolve in order to capitalize on the tectonic shifts that are occurring in higher education. And if we keep those values in the forefront of our minds as we deliberate and decide very difficult issues — which we will have disagreements on — we will always make the right decision in the furtherance of the student interest and of the university,” Kleppinger said.
He continued: “I look forward to creating opportunities for further generative discussions like we had yesterday, and to learn from each other and to learn from our faculty and from our students as we chart the future of Penn State. My leadership style has always been one of being inclusive, being communicative and being collaborative, and I will exercise that style with the integrity of my heart and with whatever skills I possess and can harness. I appreciate the confidence that you have put in me, and I fully intend to live up to your expectations.”
Kleppinger was appointed to the board in 2017 by former Governor Tom Wolf and was elected as vice chair in 2020. He graduated from Penn State in 1977 and is chairman emeritus at McNees Wallace and Nurick LLC, a law firm in Harrisburg. His board term expires in 2025.
Sokolov thanked the board for his nomination, and said he looked forward to working with the trustees and Kleppinger. He was elected to the board in July 2022, representing business and industry. He graduated from Penn State in 1971 and is vice chairman of Simon Property Group, the largest owner of retail real estate in Pennsylvania. His board term also expires in 2025.
