Appointment of Vice President for Public Affairs

December 6, 2007

Members of the Rutgers Community:

I am pleased to announce that today the Rutgers Board of Governors approved the appointment of Jeannine F. LaRue as vice president for public affairs, effective December 17, 2007. Ms. LaRue, currently the deputy chief of staff to Governor Jon S. Corzine, will serve as the chief adviser to the university’s governing boards and administration on matters involving state, federal, and local governments, as well as New Jersey businesses, civic and community groups, and nonprofit organizations. Her appointment is an important element of the effort I announced in my annual address a year ago to strengthen Rutgers’ relationships with government, business, and civic leaders throughout New Jersey.

Ms. LaRue brings extraordinary experience and expertise to the position. Before joining Governor Corzine’s staff, she was senior vice president in the governmental affairs office at Saint Barnabas Health Care System, the largest health care system in New Jersey. Ms. LaRue also held senior positions in the government relations division of the New Jersey Education Association, and was a commissioner on the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. She was also the founding executive director of the nonprofit 10,000 Mentors Inc., a Newark-based organization that matches elementary school students with mentors. A graduate of Glassboro State College (now Rowan University), she began her professional career as a high school English teacher.

Ms. LaRue’s duties will include keeping civic and business leaders, elected officials, and policymakers informed of Rutgers programs and their benefits; helping the university develop outreach initiatives and relationships with key leaders in all 21 counties of the state; and overseeing the state relations and federal relations offices, which will continue to be served by their dedicated directors, Sharon Ainsworth and Francine Newsome-Pfeiffer.

To best serve our students and the people of New Jersey, Rutgers must enhance and maintain positive, productive relationships with elected representatives in Trenton and Washington as well as with leaders throughout the state’s business and nonprofit sectors. Ms. LaRue is extremely well-suited to thrive in this important position, and I am eager for the university to gain from her insight and leadership. Please join me in welcoming Ms. LaRue to Rutgers.

To read more about this appointment, see the news release at http://urwebsrv.rutgers.edu/medrel/viewArticle.html?ArticleID=6092.

Richard L. McCormick
President
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey