The Kogod School of Business and all of American University remembers Donald L. Myers, American University’s CFO, Vice President and Treasurer, who died on January 6, 2014 after a long struggle with cancer at the age of 68.
Myers’s career at AU stretched four decades, including 32 years as its chief financial officer. He served under six presidents, leaving a legacy that included building the university’s long-term financial health and developing the human resources, facilities, and grounds to support AU’s academic programs and aspirations.
Myers worked with AU leaders and the Board of Trustees to build the financial health of the institution by introducing financial safeguards that saw the university through grave financial crisis in the 1980.
Myers’ successful financial planning allowed for American University to continue offering competitive payment and benefits to its faculty while other institutions were freezing pay.
During his tenure as CFO, the university’s endowment increased from $7 million to $550 million, the operating budget grew tenfold to $600 million, and total assets increased fourteen-fold to $1.4 billion.
Board of Trustees Chair Jeff Sine said, “For more than forty years, Don Myers’ impact on American University was profound and transformative. His commitment to AU, our students and our faculty was abiding and absolute. The Board joins the rest of the AU community in expressing our profound sense of loss and sorrow over the passing of a great man.”