William C. Richardson
William Chase Richardson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date |
| Died | May 18, 2021 (aged 81) |
| Occupation(s) | Academic administrator, foundation president |
| Known for | President of Johns Hopkins University (1990–1995), President of the Kellogg Foundation (1995–2005) |
William Chase Richardson (May 11, 1940 – May 18, 2021) obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Trinity College (Connecticut), followed by an MBA in 1964 and a Ph.D. in 1971 from the University of Chicago.
Throughout his career, Richardson held several prominent academic administrative positions. Between 1981 and 1984, he was graduate dean and vice provost for research at the University of Washington. From 1984 to 1990, he served as executive vice president and provost at Pennsylvania State University, in addition to occupying various roles at the University of Chicago. His presidency at Johns Hopkins University spanned from 1990 until 1995, during which he prioritized updating the curriculum, enhancing diversity among faculty and students, fostering collaboration across departments, and improving financial stability. Enrollment surged to an unprecedented 16,330 students by 1995, with African-American and Hispanic student populations doubling. He also initiated a capital campaign with a goal of raising $900 million.
Following his tenure at Johns Hopkins, Richardson presided over the Kellogg Foundation from 1995 to 2005 and chaired The Kellogg Foundation Trust between 1996 and 2007. His corporate governance experience included board memberships at the Kellogg Company (1996–2007), Bank of New York (1998–2007), Exelon Corporation (2005–2016), CSX Corporation (1992–2008), and Mercantile Bankshares. In 2006, Sterling Speirn succeeded him as president of the Kellogg Foundation.
Richardson was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 1981. He led key committees responsible for landmark reports on healthcare quality and safety, notably "To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System" and "Crossing the Quality Chasm." In recognition of his exceptional leadership, he was honored with the Institute's David Rall Award in 2007.