USM Foundation welcomes new Board members, period of growth and transformation
Retiring board members advanced exciting changes at USM and its Foundation
Portland, ME – At its June 18, 2021, annual meeting, the University of Southern Maine Foundation announced the retirement of several longtime board members and the appointment of four new members. In recent years, the Foundation Board has helped advance transformational developments at USM, including the largest construction project in USM history and plans for a new Center for the Arts, both on the Portland campus.
Retiring board members Bob Blackwood ’78G, ’82, Cyrus Hagge ’83, ’85G, ’18H, and Teresa Nizza have all had significant impacts on both the USM Foundation and the University of Southern Maine during their tenure.
Bob Blackwood joined the Foundation Board in 2012 and went on to serve as board treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee. Blackwood served many years on USM’s Alumni Engagement Council including a term as President. Twenty years ago, he and his wife, Jill Blackwood ’83, established the Blackwood Family Scholarship Fund at USM, which supports graduates of South Portland High School.
Cyrus Hagge has been on the Foundation Board since 2011. He has served as both board chair and immediate past chair, as well as on the board’s Executive and Governance Committees. Hagge is an influential developer and arts philanthropist in Portland and has played a major role in the city’s revitalization. Hagge co-chaired USM’s Master Planning Committee, work that helped usher in the current period of Portland campus development.
Teresa Nizza joined the board in 2017 and has served on the Governance Committee. She is currently the chief human resources officer at Martin’s Point Health Care and during her tenure on the board helped establish key internship opportunities at Martin’s Point for USM students.
“Over the years, these three exceptional board members have been instrumental in positioning the USM Foundation as a catalyst for transformation at the University of Southern Maine,” said Foundation President & CEO, Ainsley Wallace. “As we embark on some of the most ambitious new developments in USM’s history, we are grateful for their pioneering leadership and excited to welcome our impressive new members.”
The four new members of the USM Foundation Board are Ken Blaschke, Kelly Brewer ’11, Daniel Kleban ’04, and Dean Murray ’87.
- Ken Blaschke is a Portfolio Manager and member of the Investment Committee at HeadInvest, with more than twenty years of experience in investment management and research. He holds a BA in Economics from UC Berkeley and did post graduate studies through Yale in Hong Kong. He currently serves as a trustee on the boards of the Portland Museum Art and Portland Symphony Orchestra.
- Kelly Brewer ’11 is the Chief Operating Officer of Tilson, leading a world-class team of more than 500 professionals who are designing, building, and maintaining the most advanced network infrastructure for private, public, utility and government clients across the country. Brewer established and led Tilson’s self-performing tower construction and engineering divisions serving wireline, wireless and utility customers. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business and Construction Management from USM, where she has taught as a part-time faculty member. She also holds an MBA from Mississippi State University.
- Daniel Kleban ’04 is the Co-Founder of Maine Beer Company, established in 2009. Maine Beer Company is focused on environmental stewardship, community engagement, and promoting a corporate culture focused on the well-being of its employees. Daniel has a BA in Political Science from USM and a JD from Boston College. He currently serves as the chair of the Brewers Association Board of Directors and is the small business representative for Maine's Climate Council. Daniel is the past president of the Maine Brewers Guild and also has sat on the boards of Wolfe’s Neck Center and Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters.
- Dean Murray ’87 graduated from USM with a BS in Business Administration, and then obtained his JD from the Massachusetts School of Law. In his current role with Electric Insurance Company®. Dean oversees regulatory compliance, enterprise risk management, statistical and financial reporting, government affairs, licensing, and inclusion and diversity practices for Electric Insurance and its subsidiaries. Previously, Dean worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, The Stop and Shop Supermarket Companies, Inc., and as vice president and COO of Massachusetts Medical Services. He serves on the board of The North Shore Chamber of Commerce and NFI North, Inc.
About the University of Southern Maine Foundation
The USM Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with the University to support the aspirations of our students and the strategic vision of USM. Now in our third decade of service, the Foundation is raising the critical funds needed to support scholarships and achieve ambitious goals, as we help to catalyze transformation at the University of Southern Maine.
