UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Board of Trustees voted to elect Matthew W. Schuyler as chair and David Kleppinger as vice chair during its regular meeting today (Nov. 13) on the University Park campus.
Schuyler was first elected to the board as an at-large trustee in July 2015 and has served as vice chair of the board since 2017. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Smeal College of Business in 1987, and also holds an MBA from the University of Michigan.
In accepting the position as chair, Schuyler thanked outgoing chair Mark Dambly for his leadership in the areas of access and affordability; continuing to build on the strong partnership between the board and University administration; his dedication to transparency and engagement with Penn Staters from across the University; and his commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and mutual respect.
Schuyler identified communication and transparency; access and affordability; diversity and inclusion; sound financial and budgetary planning; and the continuing COVID response and recovery efforts as key strategic goals to continue building on the successes of his predecessor.
“It is an honor to be selected chair, and I look forward to serving Penn State in this important role,” Schuyler said. “My commitment is to continue to work with each of you to ensure our focus, as a board, remains on strategic matters such as affordability, financial management, innovation, the future of higher education and ensuring Penn State is an inclusive environment for all.”
Schuyler currently serves as the chief administrative officer for Hilton Worldwide and has been with the company since 2009. Under his leadership, Hilton was recognized by Fortune and Great Places to Work as the number one best company to work for in 2019 and 2020.
His previous Penn State volunteer service includes membership on the boards of visitors of the Smeal College of Business and the College of Information Sciences and Technology, as well as on the School of Hospitality Management Advisory Board. In 2013, he was honored with the Alumni Fellow Award from the Penn State Alumni Association.
Kleppinger, a 1977 Penn State alumnus, was appointed to the board in January 2017 by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf as one of six gubernatorial appointees. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from Penn State and a doctorate degree from Temple University School of Law.
He currently holds the position of chairman emeritus at McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC, a law firm in Harrisburg. He is a member of both the American Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and has served as chair of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, Team Pennsylvania Foundation, the Foundation for Enhancing Communities and United Way of the Capital Region. His service to Penn State also includes his membership with the Department of Political Science’s board of visitors, which he also has chaired.
Schuyler ran unopposed. Kleppinger was elected in a 26-9 vote over Schneider.