Todd Stottlemyer ’85, the rector of the College of William and Mary and chair of the Board of Visitors, announced at the BOV’s full board meeting Friday, April 20 that the meeting would be his last. He will retire at the end of this academic year.
“It has been the honor and a privilege of a lifetime to serve William and Mary, the alma mater of a nation, and I want to thank each of you for that opportunity,” Stottlemyer said.
“It has been the honor and a privilege of a lifetime to serve William and Mary, the alma mater of a nation, and I want to thank each of you for that opportunity,” Stottlemyer said.
Stottlemyer was first appointed to the BOV in 2011 and has served as rector since July 2013. He said he was proud of the accomplishments of the BOV under his tenure, including the Board’s unanimous vote to elect incoming College President Katherine Rowe and the Board’s unanimous vote to support Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival students.
Stottlemyer previously served on the College’s Board of Advisors for the Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy, on the William and Mary Athletic Educational Foundation, the William and Mary Washington Council and the William and Mary Foundation Board.
Stottlemyer has also taught as a guest lecturer at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business and is a past chair of the BOV’s athletics and financial affairs committees.
“Let me conclude by saying how optimistic I am about this school’s future,” Stottlemyer said. “… I would ask you to practice service leadership in all that you do. Think big, act big.”
Reveley said that he greatly admitted Stottlemyer’s leadership ability and their partnership rooted in mutual respect and genuine friendship.
“I’ve seen a lot of boards operate, sometimes successfully sometimes not,” Reveley said. “Over the last 10 years, this board, a constantly evolving feast of members, has operated extremely effectively, partly because it’s been extremely well led by the rector.”
Reveley thanked the Board for its help in achieving these goals. He stressed that a well-functioning board is essential to ensure Rowe’s success.
“This is a magnificent institution, far more magnificent than I think a lot of alumni and even people on campus realize sometimes,” Reveley said.
“This is a magnificent institution, far more magnificent than I think a lot of alumni and even people on campus realize sometimes,” Reveley said. “Magnificent institutions deserve magnificent service … I think Katherine will give it. She is extremely smart; she has an incredible work ethic. … It is crucially important that she succeeds, and [the Board is] crucial in making sure that that happens.”
The Board voted to elect John E. Littel to succeed Stottlemyer as rector, to elect Will Payne ’01 as vice rector and to reelect Sue Gerdelman ’76 as secretary of the Board. Littel was first appointed to the Board in 2012 and serves as chair of the Richard Bland College committee and vice chair of the BOV’s strategic initiatives and new ventures committee.
“Keep this juggernaut rolling,” Reveley said. “And I thank you all.”
