While newly-named Executive Vice President Maj. Gen. Clifford Stanley's military background might not be the most standard of routes to a top job in higher education, administrators say his skills as a leader make him a natural for his new role as Penn's top businessman.
"I don't see this as bringing in a military guy," Provost Robert Barchi said. Instead, Barchi said he sees Stanley as someone with a "great skill set."
Stanley replaces John Fry who departed in July to become president of Franklin and Marshall College. Stanley will step down from his post in the Marine Corps in late September and assume his new role in mid-October.
Although University President Judith Rodin's choice for EVP may come as a bit of a surprise, many say they are confident that Stanley's military background will be an asset -- not a disadvantage -- to him in his new role, with one administrator even calling the appointment "a stroke of genius."
Rodin said that throughout the search process -- during which she received help from independent search firm Spencer Stuart -- she considered a number of candidates from more traditional fields, such as the corporate sector, but ultimately saw Stanley as the ideal person for the job.
"I chose the best candidate, and that's what I said I would do at the outset," Rodin said. "For me, too, the fit was absolutely perfect -- someone who had a really full skill set across all of these entities and types of operations, someone who defies the stereotype of being in the military, at least in the traditional way that one may think of it, but brings from the military the understanding of large and complex organizations and structures, and, frankly, someone who understands and respects the importance of culture."
The fact that Stanley comes from a military and not a business background does not change the fact that he has the skills that the role of EVP demands, Rodin said.
"It's not as unnatural a translation as you might imagine," she said.
Vice President for Finance and University Treasurer Craig Carnaroli pointed out that Stanley brings valuable experience to his new post, calling many of his skills "analogous" to the ones he will need to be successful at Penn.
"He has a lot of relevant experience," Carnaroli said. "At Penn, 55 cents of every dollar is spent on personnel. He is used to working with a large, diverse workforce."
University Board of Trustees Chairman James Riepe also echoed Rodin, stressing that it is Stanley's particular "toolkit of skills" that will lead to his success as EVP.
"We told [the search firm] the skills that we thought the person needed to have and they understood the environment in which the person was going to have to operate," Riepe said. "The test was whether the person could make the transition.... They were all good candidates, but we felt General Stanley was the outstanding one of the group."
Stanley highlighted the similarities between his military tasks -- which included overseeing the Marine Corps education and training, concept development and future planning programs -- and the EVP role.
"What I think I'm bringing here, I was also delivering within the military," he said, calling his new position "perfectly scripted" for him as far as his scope of duties. "Although I may be doing an EVP job, you have to understand that I really am committed to the education part.... That's my passion."
Rodin spoke of fundamental similarities between the structure and values of a university and a military organization.
"One of the things that is important at a university is that we have norms and... we have a kind of culture we reflect and really value," Rodin said. "And the military also has a strong respect for its culture and understands the importance of a value system, and we related well on that set of issues."
According to Vice President for Business Services Leroy Nunery, the broad nature of the executive vice president's position will allow Stanley to exercise many of his skills.
"This is a huge job," Nunery said. "He will shape it as he gets himself accustomed to what is going on. He has the stamina and the foresight to do that."
Nunery, who like Stanley came to Penn from a position outside of higher education, sees these alternate experiences as something that a university needs as it changes and grows.
"I am beginning to recognize that organizations like Penn" have changing needs, he explained. "As we've grown, we've had visionaries like Fry, but we also need, at certain stages in our growth, management and leadership like General Stanley. I think this is a stroke of genius that Rodin got someone like Stanley."
Carnaroli also stressed that Stanley will have the opportunity to gain new skills during his tenure at Penn.
"He's here to learn from Penn as much as he can bring to us," he explained. "It's a two-way street."
"We're all looking forward to working effectively with him," Carnaroli added.
