It is with great sadness that I write this evening to inform you of the passing of a truly remarkable friend of this university, Trustee Emeritus A. James Clark. As chief executive officer of Clark Enterprises, Mr. Clark presided over countless construction projects in the Washington region and built a number of landmark facilities on our Foggy Bottom Campus, including South Hall, Shenkman Hall and, most recently, the spectacular new home of our science and engineering programs.
Mr. Clark was also was a generous philanthropist whose gifts to many institutions included the creation of our Clark Scholars Program in the School of Engineering and Applied Science. We also benefited greatly from his wisdom and guidance when he served as a member of the Board of Trustees from 1988 to 1993. At our University Commencement in 2010, I had the privilege of conferring on him the honorary degree of Doctor of Engineering.
Mr. Clark's generosity and friendship to our university will be greatly missed. We can take solace from the fact that his legacy here will live on for generations to come.