July 16, 1998
Dixon unanimously re-elected Chairman for 16th consecutive term
Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu
The State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors has unanimously re-elected F. Eugene Dixon, Jr. as its chairman for an unprecedented 16th consecutive term.
Mr. Dixon of Lafayette Hill is the Board’s founding chairman, having served in the position since the System’s inception in 1983.
“I have been proud to serve the State System of Higher Education as it has grown into one of the leading educational systems in the nation,” Mr. Dixon said. “All of the Board members with whom I have served over the years have worked extremely hard to help push the System universities toward excellence. I am grateful to the current Board members for their continued confidence in my leadership, and look forward to serving another term as chairman.”
State Sen. F. Joseph Loeper of Drexel Hill chaired the nominating committee that recommended Mr. Dixon for another term as Board chair.
“Mr. Dixon’s long service to higher education in Pennsylvania is unparalleled,” Sen. Loeper said. “As chairman of the Board of Governors, he has provided outstanding service and strong leadership to the State System, and, I am certain, will continue to do so.”
The Board of Governors also re-elected its two vice chairs.
R. Benjamin Wiley of Erie was re-elected to a third one-year term as vice chair and Kim E. Lyttle of Pittsburgh was chosen to serve in the position for a second straight year. Both Wiley and Lyttle have been members of the Board since 1995.
The 20-member Board of Governors has overall responsibility for administering the State System, which comprises Pennsylvania’s 14 state-owned universities. The Board establishes broad fiscal, personnel and educational policies under which the universities operate.
Mr. Dixon has a long history of volunteer service to both public and private higher education in the Commonwealth. He previously chaired the boards of trustees of both Temple and Widener universities and has served on the boards of the University of Pennsylvania and Lafayette College. He is the recipient of 11 honorary degrees from Pennsylvania colleges and universities.
Mr. Dixon also is or has been a member of dozens of other boards and commissions, having served as chairman or president of several, including the Fairmount Park Commission, Delaware River Port Authority, Philadelphia Art Commission and State Horse Racing Commission.
He is a limited partner of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team and Ronaele Aviation. Previously, Mr. Dixon owned the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team and the Philadelphia Wings indoor lacrosse team.
Mr. Wiley is executive director of the Greater Erie Community Action Committee (GECAC), a position he has held for more than 25 years. GECAC is a non-profit corporation that provides a variety of community services and activities involving child and youth development, transportation, housing, food and nutrition, education, employment and training, drug and alcohol abuse treatment and services for the elderly. GECAC manages an annual budget of approximately $18 million.
In addition to his position at GECAC, Mr. Wiley is extremely active in the Erie community. He has received numerous awards from civic organizations and in 1993 was the recipient of both the AFL-CIO’s Community Service Award presented by the Erie Central Labor Council and the first President’s Leadership Award for Business and Community Service presented by the Erie Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Wiley was appointed to the Board of Governors three years ago by Gov. Tom Ridge. He has been a member of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania’s Council of Trustees since 1983, serving as its chair since 1994.
Mr. Lyttle is vice president of public affairs for National City Bank of Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh. He also oversees National City’s corporate giving program, community development and governmental relations activities.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Fund for the Advancement of the State System of Higher Education, Inc. and the Association of Governing Boards.
Mr. Lyttle also was appointed to the Board of Governors by Ridge. He has been a member of Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Council of Trustees since 1983.
Other members of the State System’s Board of Governors are Dr. Syed R. Ali-Zaidi, Shippenville; Dr. Muriel Berman, Allentown; Jason B. Bozzone, student member from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania; Rep. Jeffrey W. Coy, Shippensburg; Daniel P. Elby, Harrisburg; Lawrence J. Flint, student member from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania; Glenn Y. Forney, Bradenton, Fla.; Charles A. Gomulka, Pittsburgh; Secretary of Education Eugene W. Hickok Jr., Harrisburg; Sen. Loeper; Rocco A. Ortenzio, Mechanicsburg; Gov. Ridge, Harrisburg; Rep. Jere W. Schuler, Lampeter; Sen. Patrick J. Stapleton, Indiana; John K. Thornburgh, Pittsburgh; and Christine J. Toretti, Indiana.
The State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the state. One of every 29 Pennsylvanians is attending or is a graduate of a System university.
The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The System also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Kittanning, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional education centers.