The University of Toledo President Gregory Postel will deliver his inaugural State of the University Address via video on Monday, May 3.

The 2021 State of the University speech entitled “Inspiring Hope: UToledo’s Brightest Days are Ahead” will be published online and shared with the campus community via email at 3 p.m.

Postel

“We faced one challenge after another this past year, but we never lost sight of that which unifies us — the human factor,” Postel said. “We all faced unforeseeable challenges, but through it all, we witnessed the very best in our campus community. Our UToledo students, faculty, staff and physicians have proven their resilience time and time again.”

In addition, the University will be sharing the 2020-21 Annual Report video in recognition of this unprecedented year for Rocket Nation.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Join via Webex:
Meeting number (access code): 160 451 5294
Meeting password: UTBOTAPRIL2021

Join via Phone:
+1-415-655-0002
Meeting number (access code): 160 451 5294

9 a.m. Clinical Affairs Committee Meeting
9:15 a.m. Academic and Student Affairs Committee Meeting
9:30 a.m. Finance and Audit Committee Meeting
9:45 a.m. Trusteeship and Governance Committee Meeting
10 a.m. Board of Trustees Meeting

Any questions may be directed to the Office of University Marketing and Communications by calling 419.530.2410 or via email to meghan.cunningham@utoledo.edu.

Dr. Gregory Postel was named the 18th president of The University of Toledo during a special Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday.

The Board commended Postel for his tireless efforts since joining UToledo in the interim role last July. Board Chair Al Baker noted many of Postel’s accomplishments including successfully leading the safe reopening of campus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the beginning of fall semester, UToledo has navigated the pandemic utilizing the Rocket Prevention Principles best practices, a proactive surveillance testing strategy and transparent communication. UToledo’s reported positivity rate has remained below the state’s reported positivity rate since tracking began in August.

In addition, Postel was recognized for the stabilization of hospital finances following a tumultuous year for The University of Toledo Medical Center exacerbated by the pandemic. Preliminary FY21 projections indicate a positive turnaround in revenue.

Postel

The University’s growing research portfolio continues to grow with several recent multimillion dollar grants announced from the Department of Defense, NASA and NIH, to name just a few. The University’s year-to-date research funding numbers are on track based on last year’s goals.

Postel was actively involved in securing the institution’s second named college – the John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation, which was announced in December. He has assisted with a number of other private gifts to support the University.

“We are extremely grateful for Dr. Postel’s leadership during this challenging transition and want to commend all members of our campus community who have stepped up to realize these accomplishments,” Baker said. “Looking ahead, we know that we must continue this momentum if we are to realize our potential as a national, public research university where students obtain a world-class education and become part of a diverse community of leaders committed to improving the human condition in the region and the world.”

Postel has identified eight key initiatives and appointed campus-wide working groups focused on creating a solid foundation upon which to build future growth. The Board applauded Postel for addressing challenges head-on and noted that stable leadership is critical as the University moves forward.

“Dr. Postel’s leadership has been instrumental in stabilizing the institution, but perhaps more importantly, he is actively preparing The University of Toledo for the upcoming Higher Learning Commission visit in November 2021,” Baker said. “After careful deliberation, including consultation with members of the University’s senior leadership team, deans and faculty senate representatives, the Board was honored to appoint Dr. Postel to this position.”

The board unanimously approved a resolution to continue his service to UToledo through June 2025.

“I am truly appreciative of and humbled by the vote of confidence from the Board of Trustees,” Postel said. “I have found The University of Toledo to be an outstanding institution committed to student success. I look forward to working collaboratively with the dedicated leaders across our campuses to continue our positive momentum and achieve UToledo’s full potential.”

Postel has more than 25 years of leadership experience with university operations, academic medical centers and clinical research, as well as university governance, teaching and research. Prior to joining UToledo, he served as the senior client partner representing healthcare services and higher education at Korn Ferry, a global organizational consulting firm.

In addition to an accomplished career as an academic interventional neuroradiologist, Postel served 18 years as chair of the Department of Radiology at the UofL School of Medicine and held the positions of vice dean for clinical affairs and chair of the board at University Medical Center in Louisville. He was the founding board chair and later CEO of University of Louisville Physicians. Postel served as interim president of UofL in 2017-18 and also spent four years as its executive vice president for health affairs.

A graduate of the College of Wooster and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Postel completed a residency in radiology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and a fellowship in neuroradiology at the Mayo Clinic Foundation.

He and his wife, Sally, have twin sons, Alex and Chris.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
9 a.m.

Join via Webex:
Meeting number (access code): 160 802 4241
Meeting password: UTBOTSPMTG

Join via Phone:
+1-415-655-0002
Meeting number (access code): 160 802 4241

The Board of Trustees will enter Executive Session
immediately upon convening the meeting to discuss
the employment and compensation of a public employee.

Any questions may be directed to the Office of University Marketing and Communications by calling 419.530.2410 or via email to meghan.cunningham@utoledo.edu.

The University of Toledo will be closed Tuesday, Feb. 16 due to inclement winter weather. Lucas County is currently under a Level 3 snow emergency. Roads are dangerous and closed to non-emergency personnel except for emergencies.

Only employees designated as essential to University operations should report to work.

No classes were scheduled for today as Tuesday, Feb. 16 had previously been a planned instructional break.

The University of Toledo Medical Center, as always, will remain open. Ambulatory care and clinics are closed. Patients will be contacted to reschedule.

Please check utoledo.edu/weather for updates.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
Monday, Jan. 11, 2021
Join via Webex:
Meeting number (access code): 180 398 9687
Meeting password: UTBOTJAN2021

Join via Phone:
+1-415-655-0002
Meeting number (access code): 180 398 9687

4:30 p.m. Privileging and Credentialing Subcommittee Meeting

This subcommittee of the Clinical Affairs Committee will enter
Executive Session immediately upon convening the meeting
to discuss privileged information related to the evaluation
of medical staff personnel appointments.

Any questions may be directed to the Office of University Marketing and Communications by calling 419.530.2410 or via email to meghan.cunningham@utoledo.edu.

The University of Toledo is naming its College of Business and Innovation for one of the greatest mutual fund investors in modern history who got his start on the UToledo campus and generously gave back to his alma mater.

The newly named John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation honors John Neff and his family for their commitment to enhancing the educational experience and competitive advantage for UToledo students.

“The generosity of Mr. Neff and his family has made a tremendous impact on our College of Business and Innovation by supporting some of our most promising students and attracting top faculty experts to our campus to train the investors of the future,” said UToledo Interim President Gregory Postel. “We are proud to name the college in his honor and look forward to the impact that connecting his legacy more closely to our business programs will have on generations to come.”

The College of Business and Innovation is named for John and Lillian Neff in honor of their commitment to enhancing the educational experience and competitive advantage for UToledo students.

Neff, who died June 4, 2019, at the age of 87, received his bachelor’s degree in industrial marketing in 1955 from UToledo, where he also met his wife Lillian. She preceded him in death in 2017.

“It’s with tremendous pride that we partner with The University of Toledo in celebrating the naming of the John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation,” said Lisa Neff-Ryave, their daughter. “My Dad often spoke of his genuine love for The University of Toledo and the humble appreciation he held for the education he received while there. It was that base in finance that propelled him forward in his illustrious career with Vanguard’s Windsor.”

Neff had gone to Wall Street immediately after graduating from UToledo, but didn’t get the interest he had hoped for. He instead started his career at National City Bank in Cleveland and later was offered a position in Philadelphia as manager of the Wellington Management Co.’s Windsor mutual fund, where he earned a reputation for outperforming the stock market for the next 30 years.

Neff’s approach was looking for stocks that in his words were “overlooked, misunderstood, forgotten, out of favor” and he favored steady performers and aimed to pay a low multiple of annual earnings, as described in the obituary article published in the Wall Street Journal.

The naming of the College of Business and Innovation recognizes the alumnus’ success, as well as his generosity. The $18.7 million gift to UToledo encompasses John and Lillian Neff’s lifetime and estate giving, as well as a gift from their children, Lisa and Stephen, who wanted to participate in honoring their parents in such a meaningful way.

His previous donations to the College of Business and Innovation established the Neff Trading Room equipped with high-tech Bloomberg terminals, which students use to access real-time information from the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ and Chicago Board of Trade. The Neff family also established an endowed chair in the college and they have funded student scholarships and faculty teaching and research awards. The Department of Finance had already been named in Neff’s honor.

Neff also personally shared his experience and expertise with students, mentoring them on investment strategies and methodology. He was instrumental in the design of the Student Managed Portfolio course, in which UToledo students manage an account initially funded with $1 million from The University of Toledo Foundation. The course provides students hands-on money management experience to learn the business and science of investing.

“He relished those experiences, they were precious to him,” Neff-Ryave said. “UToledo was definitely his extended family and he was forever proud to be a Rocket. It is with tremendous pride that my brother Stephen and I join this effort in supporting our parent’s legacy by naming the Neff College of Business and Innovation.”

The UToledo Board of Trustees approved the naming of the college in Neff’s honor at its Dec. 14 meeting. A celebration event will be planned for a future date.

“We are proud to call this Wall Street giant a graduate of our University and our college and we are so appreciative of his generosity that has already impacted generations of students and will continue to elevate the educational experiences of business students for years to come,” said Dr. Anne Balazs, dean of the College of Business and Innovation.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
Monday, Dec. 14, 2020
Join via WebEx:
Meeting number (access code): 180 863 3792
Meeting password: BOTDEC2020

Join via Phone:
+1-415-655-0002
Meeting number (access code): 180 863 3792

9 a.m. Clinical Affairs Committee Meeting
9:15 a.m. Academic and Student Affairs Committee Meeting
9:30 a.m. Finance and Audit Committee Meeting
9:45 a.m. Trusteeship and Governance Committee Meeting
10 a.m. Board of Trustees Meeting

Any questions may be directed to the Office of University Marketing and Communications by calling 419.530.2410 or via email to meghan.cunningham@utoledo.edu.

Rocket Nation will gather together virtually on Sunday, Dec. 6 to celebrate the Class of 2020 during an online version of the traditional commencement ceremony.

While the COVID-19 pandemic is preventing a large crowd from gathering together in Savage Arena, Rockets in Toledo and beyond will fire up their computers and smartphones to follow along together remotely as University leaders recognize graduates, including a keynote address and messages from each dean to the graduates of their colleges.

Satcher

“We are proud to celebrate our graduates at every commencement ceremony, but the Class of 2020 is unique,” UToledo Interim President Gregory Postel said. “The resilience these students have shown to successfully achieve their educational goals despite the significant challenges caused by a global pandemic is incredible. We look forward to celebrating their achievements at our virtual commencement ceremony.”

Dr. David SatcherThe virtual commencement will go live at 9 a.m. online at utoledo.edu/commencement and will include the pomp and circumstance of a traditional in-person ceremony, with a processional, messages from campus leaders, presentations of degrees, and singing the alma mater.

A distinguished physician-scientist will serve as the keynote speaker. Dr. David Satcher, who served as the 16th Surgeon General of the United States from 1998 to 2002, and the 10th Assistant Secretary for Health in the Department of Health and Human Services from 1998 to 2001, will address the newest alumni of UToledo.

Dr. Satcher also served as the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

He spent his career working to improve public health policy for all Americans and has remained committed to eliminating health disparities for minorities, the poor and other disadvantaged groups. Currently, he is the founding director and senior advisor for the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.

The digital format of the commencement also will allow for more participation from the campus community through video submissions of what it means to be a Rocket and from graduates about their plans after graduation.

Each graduate will be recognized with a scrolling of names on the screen during the ceremony, an online graphic display with the opportunity for additional personalization on the commencement website, and in a printed formal commencement event program.

SPECIAL BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
Monday, July 20, 2020
4 p.m. Special Board of Trustees Meeting

Join via WebEx:
Meeting number (access code): 160 998 7770
Meeting password: BOTSPMTGJULY20

Join via Phone:
+1-415-655-0002
Meeting number (access code): 160 998 7770

The Board of Trustees will immediately enter Executive Session upon convening
the meeting to discuss the employment and compensation of a public employee.

Any questions may be directed to the Office of University Marketing and Communications by calling 419.350.3879 or via email to meghan.cunningham@utoledo.edu.