Letter from the President, 1993-1996
During my first year as President (1993–1994), we decided to replace Hilbert Hall with a new building, and began a major development campaign for this purpose. We engaged the architectural firm of Harry Teague and Company which developed initial design ideas by the summer of 1994. Another important event of the summer of 1994 was the Focal Week on Women. It played a key role in increasing the participation of women at the Center.
By 1995, fund–raising for the new building was in full swing in the form of the New Century Campaign led by David Schramm, Michael Fain, and Larry Marx. Several major donations were secured, including especially important contributions from the Smart Family Foundation, Martin Flug, and Gerald Hosier. Members of the physics community were also very generous. Harry Teague and Company produced a complete design for the new building including its imaginative location along the south edge of the campus.
Construction began in the fall of 1995, and was well along as I ended my term as President in the spring of 1996. The summer of 1995 saw another milestone in the history of the Center. Sally Hume Mencimer announced her intention to retire as Administrative Vice President, and we began a search to find her replacement. We were extremely fortunate to be able to recruit Jane Kelly into this position, a role she fills with great distinction to this day.
