December 13, 2011 – New College Foundation, Inc. has announced that Howard P. Isermann has been made Chair of its Board of Trustees. Isermann, who has served on the Foundation Board since 1998, takes over from Bradford Baker.
A chemical engineer, Isermann is known for developing the ultraviolet absorber at Van Dyk & Co. that became the most effective and leading sunscreen in the world. This development, in addition to preventing sunburn, has contributed to significant progress in skin cancer prevention. In addition to serving as president of Van Dyk, he is the retired chairman and CEO of Novarome, Inc. in Maplewood, New Jersey.
Isermann earned his chemical engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). He joined its board in 1986 and, in 1989, RPI named the chemical engineering department in his honor.
“New College has held a special place in my heart for many years,” said Isermann, who moved to the Sarasota area in 1981. “I’m delighted to serve in this important role just as the Foundation launches its New College Promise Campaign to maintain the College’s place at the forefront of undergraduate education.” The Betty Isermann Fine Arts Building, located in the Caples Fine Arts Complex, was partially funded by a gift from Howard Isermann in honor of his wife, Betty, an accomplished painter.
Joining the New College Foundation Board of Trustees for the first time are New College alums Jonathan Smiga ’75, Thomas M. White ’67, and Robert Lincoln ‘76.
Smiga (right) is currently a Partner and President/CEO of Barnie’s CoffeeKitchen, based in Orlando, Florida, where he is remaking the Barnie’s brand and the consumer’s coffee shop experience. He is also a partner in Natural Growth Ventures, a San Francisco based investment and advisory business, and a co-owner of Dept. C Wines, a premium producer of California and Oregon Wines. He graduated from New College in 1980 with an area of concentration in Humanities.
On January 10, 2012, Smiga will talk about the changing face of value for the new consumer as a guest speaker at the College’s New Topics New College series.
Thomas White is an attorney in Chicago specializing in the development, documentation and administration of executive compensation programs and employee benefit plans, including pension, profit sharing, 401 (k) and ESOP plans, and health and welfare benefit programs. He graduated from New College in 1971 with a concentration in history.
Robert Lincoln (left) is an attorney in Sarasota, representing public and private clients in all aspects of the land development process, with a focus on complex land use and zoning approvals and litigation. He graduated from New College in 1983 with an area of concentration in Political Science. Lincoln has been active in the New College Alumnae/i Association for almost 15 years and is currently the chair of the NCAA Board of Directors.
“The current board and staff are pleased to welcome Howard as our new chair and to thank Brad Baker for his past service in that role,” said Foundation President & CEO Andrew Walker. “We are equally gratified to have recruited Thomas White, Jonathan Smiga and Rob Lincoln to the Board as we launch our $60 million campaign to benefit New College.”
The New College Foundation provides the necessary private funding to enable New College to continue providing an outstanding liberal arts and sciences education to high-achieving undergraduates from Florida and elsewhere. Through outright gifts and pledges and deferred giving, the New College Foundation raises critical funds for scholarships, faculty positions, academic programs, new buildings, student and faculty research and travel, and endowments, with more than $100 million in public and private funds raised since 1980.
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Founded in 1960, New College of Florida is a national leader in the arts and sciences. Consistently ranked among the top public liberal arts colleges in America by U.S. News & World report, Forbes and The Princeton Review, New College attracts highly motivated, academically talented students from some 40 states and nearly 25 foreign countries. A higher proportion of New College students receive Fulbright awards than graduates from virtually all other colleges and universities.