March 13, 2015
To: UMD Campus Community
From: Chancellor Lendley C. Black
Subject: Director of External Affairs
I am pleased to announce a new member of our campus community. After a successful and competitive search, Lynne Williams has accepted the director of External Affairs position and will start on Monday, April 20. Lynne received strong support from the UMD community, and I am pleased that she will be bringing her outstanding media and marketing expertise to this key position on the Chancellor's Cabinet.
Lynne is currently the director of marketing and communications at UW-Superior, a position she has held for five years. She brings with her experience in higher education public relations, legislative relations, marketing, and communications. She graduated from UMD in 2003 with a bachelor of business administration degree in marketing. She is involved in many activities in the Duluth-Superior community, and in 2014 she was a recipient of the Duluth News Tribune 20 Under 40 award.
Lynne asked that we pass along a brief statement on her behalf.
"I am truly ecstatic to return to UMD as a member of your campus community. A career in higher education is an intensely rewarding experience. I am honored be given this opportunity to help share your successes and further the mission of my beloved alma mater. I am counting the days and hours until I start and look forward to meeting and working with each of you."
As director of External Affairs, Lynne will provide leadership and cabinet-level administrative oversight to UMD's media and public relations, community relations, government relations, marketing, communication, publications, photography and KUMD.
I would like to thank the members of the Search Committee (Josh Berlo, Athletics; Tricia Bunten, Development Office; Mary Cameron, Human Resources; Betty Greene, External Affairs; Josh Hamilton, Swenson College of Science and Engineering; Lucy Kragness, Chancellor's Office, Co-Chair; Jeremy Leiferman, Housing; Ian Pannkuk, Admissions; Kristi Schmidt, Essentia Health, Co-Chair; Jennifer Schultz, Labovitz School of Business and Economics; and Chuck Tombarge, University Relations) for sharing their time and their expertise working on this important search.
Please join me in welcoming Lynne to UMD.
