Trustees Choose Lietz to Chair USNH Board

June 24, 2004 - Plymouth, NH -The University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees has turned to Rye businessman Andrew Lietz to serve as its chairman for the coming fiscal year. At its annual meeting at Plymouth State University on Thursday, the Board also elected Edward Dupont of Durham to serve as Vice-Chair and Lorraine Stuart Merrill of Stratham to serve her sixth term as Secretary. The slate of officers, presented by the Board's nominating committee, received unanimous support from the Trustees.

Chairman Lietz was first appointed to the Board of Trustees on May 23, 2001 by Governor Shaheen. Earlier this year he was reappointed to a second four-year term by Governor Benson. He succeeds John Lynch , who had served as Board Chairman for the previous three years.

"All of us on the Board who have served with John Lynch have great respect for the job he did as chair for the past three years," said Lietz. "I am impressed with the knowledge that our Trustees bring to this Board and I look forward to working with each of them," added Lietz.

Lietz is currently the Chairman and Managing Director of Rye Capital Management, LLC, founded by Lietz to provide capital and professional services to small and medium sized enterprises in the New England Area. He is a native of Detroit , Michigan and holds a degree in Business Administration from Wayne State University in 1961.

Following his election, Lietz told his colleagues that it was truly an honor to serve as Chair of the USNH Board. He also reminded his colleagues of the task ahead. "With a budget year coming up, we must continue to focus on providing a high quality educational product that is both affordable and accessible, while being good fiscal stewards" said Lietz.

Trustee Dupont is the founder and president of The Dupont Group Ltd., a government relations firm in Concord . He is a former President of the NH Senate who represented the seacoast for five terms in that chamber. Governor Benson appointed him to the Board on March 6, 2003 .

A 1973 graduate of the University of New Hampshire , Lorraine Stuart Merrill is the Board's representative from the New Hampshire agricultural community. Trustee Merrill is a partner in the Stuart Farm in Stratham , NH , a family-owned dairy farm with a milking herd of 200 registered Holsteins and Brown Swiss. She is also a journalist and technical writer specializing in agriculture, business, the environment and planning. She has served on the board since September 17, 1997 .

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