E.
B. Wilson, a member of the Class of 1953, was elected to the Board
of Trustees in 1985, the capstone of his lifelong commitment of service
to alma mater-service that included career advising and advancement
responsibilities. Ten years later, University trustees recognized
Mr. Wilson's outstanding leadership skills, integrity, intelligence
and inspiration and elected him chairman of the Board.
Mr. Wilson's six-year tenure established, through judicious counsel
and gracious deportment, the qualities of trust and communication
among Board members and between the Board of Trustees and the many
Laurentian constituents so critical to board leadership. Such trust
enabled the University to begin a multi-year initiative to strengthen
the University's curricular and co-curricular programming, improve
facilities, assure excellence in the faculty and professional staff
who come together to educate its students, and secure funding to support
its goals. Indeed, in their citation at the end of his term as board
chair, the St. Lawrence faculty called the period of St. Lawrence
history that began with Mr. Wilson's chairmanship "a renaissance"
in celebration of the achievements and energy that characterize it.
When he retired from the Board of Trustees in 2001, his colleagues
voted E. B. Wilson the title of chair emeritus.
Through affiliation with the Association of Governing Boards and
leadership of the National Executive Service Corps of New England,
E. B. Wilson, who is retired from a 40-year career in global corporate
management, extended his skills in service to higher education and
non-profit policymaking. St. Lawrence takes deep satisfaction in offering
this, its highest and most public honor, the degree, Doctor of Humane
Letters, honoris causa.
