Fay Vincent To Address Class Of 2004
Former Major League Baseball commissioner to address undergraduates
There are approximately 700 members of the class of 2004. Vincent, who served as the eighth commissioner of major league baseball from 1989 to 1992, will receive an honorary degree during the ceremony. Honorary degrees will also be conferred upon Katherine Koessler Juhasz, local philanthropist; Carl J. Montante '64, managing director of Uniland Development Company; and Gerald C. Saxe, president of Matthews, Bartlett & Dedecker, Inc.
Prior to joining Major League Baseball, Vincent served as executive vice president of The Coca-Cola Company until July 1988. He joined Columbia Pictures Industries Inc. in 1978 as president and chief executive officer. In March 1982, following the acquisition of Columbia by The Coca-Cola Company, he was appointed chairman and CEO of its entertainment business sector. In April 1986, he was promoted to executive vice president of The Coca-Cola Company responsible for all entertainment activities.
Vincent also served as associate director of the Division of Corporation Finance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He was a partner in the Washington, D.C. law firm of Caplin & Drysdale from 1968 to 1978.
Vincent received his law degree from Yale Law School in 1963. He graduated cum laude in 1960 from Williams College where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He served as a trustee at Williams for 18 years and received an honorary degree from the college in 1990. He has also served as a trustee of Carleton College and as chair of the Hotchkiss School Board.
He is currently a trustee Fairfield University, the Saint Thomas More Catholic Center at Yale University and The Canterbury School in Connecticut. He has received honorary degrees from Babson College, Colgate University, Central Connecticut State University, the University of New Haven, Kenyon College and Carleton College.
Vincent is a member of the Board of Directors of Time Warner, Inc. (Compensation & Human Development Committee, Audit & Finance Committee and the Nominating & Governance Committee) and Westfield America Trust (Australia).
Canisius College is one of 28 Jesuit colleges in the nation and the premier private college in Western New York. Canisius prepares leaders - intelligent, caring, faithful individuals able to pursue and promote excellence in their professions, their communities and their service to humanity.
Date released: 4/22/2004
