SUNY Board Approves Appointment of Interim President of Erie Community College

Albany – The State University of New York Board of Trustees today approved the appointment of William D. Reuter as interim president of Erie Community College, effective immediately. 

On November 29, 2006, the Erie Community College Board of Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Mr. Reuter as interim president of the college until such time as a permanent president is selected and begins employment.

For the past eight years, Mr. Reuter has served as the chief administrative and financial officer for Erie Community College. In this capacity, Mr. Reuter worked closely with former President William J. Mariani, the administrative staff at Erie Community College, and the Erie Community College Board of Trustees.

SUNY Chancellor John R. Ryan said, “Mr. Reuter has demonstrated strong leadership on the campus during the past eight years and we commend the Boards at SUNY and Erie Community College for recognizing his talents and placing their confidence in him with this appointment. I am confident that the college, which enrolls more than 12,000 students on three campuses, will continue to excel under Interim President Reuter’s leadership.”

Reuter succeeds out-going Erie Community College President Mariani, who served the college as president for nine years.

“I would like to thank Bill Mariani for his many years of excellent service to Erie Community College and for his overall contributions to the State University,” said SUNY Board Chairman Thomas F. Egan.

Mr. Reuter said, “I’m very grateful that the Erie Community College and SUNY Boards of Trustees have placed their confidence in my ability to serve as the interim president and to continue the great things that ECC has accomplished under the leadership of former President Mariani. I am fully committed to this institution, the students it serves and the staff that it employs.”

Mr. Reuter is a genuine product of SUNY, having received an Associate’s Degree from Nassau Community College, a Bachelor’s Degree from Binghamton, and having taught for one year at Jefferson Community College. He is also a Certified Public Accountant who has experience in both the public and private sectors. This experience includes employment as the deputy comptroller for the Erie County Comptroller’s Office and as the chief financial officer and treasurer for the Erie County Industrial Development Agency.

This appointment will continue for a period of one year or until such time as a new President is named.  If for any reason the appointment is to be extended past January 11, 2008, further approval of the State University Board of Trustees is required.

SUNY is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating more than 418,000 students in 7,669 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses.