Griffith ’61 Awarded the Lafayette Medal

Alan Griffith ’64, former chair of the Board of Trustees, was recognized as the recipient of the Lafayette Medal for Distinguished Service during the 180th Commencement May 23.

Griffith, retired vice chairman of The Bank of New York, retired from the Board of Trustees and was elected to emeritus status. He had served on the board since 1994 and was chair from 2001-10.

A member of the board’s Steering Committee and Executive Committee, Griffith also served on the committees on Compensation and Educational Policy. He had been a member of the committees on Easton, External Affairs, Financial Policy, and Student Life.

Griffith was chair of the search committee that identified Alison Byerly as Lafayette’s 17th president. He was a member of the All-College Committee on Selectivity, All-College Task Force on Alcohol and Substance Abuse, and Ad Hoc Committee on Retirees’ Medical Benefits. Before becoming a trustee, Griffith served as the first chair of Lafayette Leadership Council. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws in 2001.

Griffith and his wife, Elizabeth F. “Penny” Griffith, were inducted into the Société d’Honneur in 2005. In recognition of their generous support, the Special Collections Suite in Skillman Library is named in their honor. In 2005-06, he established the Griffith Consistent Giver Match as an incentive to young alumni. More recently, they endowed a scholarship fund in support of the Live Connected, Lead Change campaign.