News
Dr. Terry R. Taber Elected Chair of Roberts Wesleyan University and Northeastern Seminary Boards of Trustees
The Boards of Trustees of Roberts Wesleyan University and Northeastern Seminary have elected Dr. Terry R. Taber, chief technical officer and senior vice president of Advanced Materials & Chemicals at Eastman Kodak Company, to serve as chair of the board, effective Oct. 21, 2022, through October 2026. Taber has served multiple terms on the Roberts Wesleyan and Northeastern Seminary boards for over 18 years, previously as board chair from 2012 to 2015.
“I am delighted by the election of Dr. Taber as our board chair,” said Dr. Deana L. Porterfield, president of Roberts Wesleyan University and Northeastern Seminary. “Terry is an experienced community leader and longtime friend of the university and seminary. With his strong leadership of the boards and the work of our faculty and staff, we move forward in implementing our Vision 2030 strategic plan, with a focus on the future and a commitment to innovative and distinctive ways to serve our students, our employees and the Greater Rochester community.”
Succeeding longtime chair Dwight M. (Kip) Palmer, CEO of Rochester-based Palmer Family of Companies, Taber looks forward to championing the university’s mission to provide a Christ-centered education that transforms students, communities and society. And as Northeastern Seminary approaches its 25 th year, there is a renewed energy for exploring partnerships and innovative degree programs, which will benefit all students at both institutions.
Taber contributes his time and resources to a variety of local charities and organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, United Way, food ministries and Teen Mission International work camps. In addition to his service to Roberts Wesleyan and Northeastern Seminary, he serves on the boards of several local businesses and organizations, including the George Eastman Museum, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and Pearce Church, where he and his wife, Sherri, coordinate Thanksgiving basket distributions to more than 1,000 families annually.
A native of Evansville, Indiana, Taber holds a B.S. in chemistry from Purdue University, an M.S. in general management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Kodak Sloan Fellow, and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from California Institute of Technology.
“I am honored to be elected as chair of the Roberts and Northeastern Boards of Trustees,” Dr. Taber said. “While this is a challenging time for Christian higher education, President Porterfield has launched a courageous and optimistic vision, and the board is fully supportive of it. We have a great opportunity to serve students of all ages through transformative educational experiences that affirm individual vocations and lift communities toward a better world.”