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New Chair Named to Board of Trustees

The former chairman and chief executive officer of National Starch and Chemical Company has been chosen to serve as chair of the NJIT Board of Trustees.

James A. Kennedy assumed the position, Sept. 14, from Victor A. Pelson, senior advisor, Warburg Dillon Read, LLC, who retired as chair of the university’s 15-member governing board.

"NJIT expanded greatly during Vic Pelson’s tenure as chair," said Saul K. Fenster, NJIT president. "His expertise served the board well."

During Pelson’s 12 years as chair, NJIT established the Albert Dorman Honors College and added many new buildings on campus, including the Guttenberg Information Technologies Center, the Architecture and Building Sciences Complex and two residence halls.

Kennedy has been a member of NJIT’s Board of Trustees for four years and a member of the Board of Overseers, the 49-member board that oversees the university’s Foundation, for 10 years. He also has served as chair of the Board of Overseers for the past five years. Along with his board positions, Kennedy serves as vice chair of The Campaign for NJIT, the university’s $120 million fund-raising effort.

"Mr. Kennedy has been a key member of both our Board of Trustees and Board of Overseers for many years," said Fenster. "We’re delighted to be able to continue looking to his wise counsel and expertise in business and technology management in support of future decision making."

Kennedy, who resides in Bernardsville, N.J., retired as chairman and chief executive officer of National Starch and Chemical Company and from the Board of Directors of Imperial Chemical Industries, PLC, last year. National Starch, headquartered in Bridgewater, N.J., is a leading manufacturer of adhesives, specialty synthetic polymers, electronic and engineering materials, and specialty food and industrial starches. During his 37 years with the company, Kennedy was instrumental in furthering its global expansion and continuing a 30-year record of consecutive annual increases in operating profit.

Currently, Kennedy also is a member of the Board of Directors for Guardian Life Insurance Company of America and Freedom House. He earned his MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business and his bachelor’s degree in economics from College of the Holy Cross.

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