W. Douglas Brown, retired vice president, general counsel, and secretary of Air Products and Chemicals, has been named the new Chairman of the Board of Trustees at DeSales University. His appointment to the three-year term, effective May 19, 2014, was announced by Father Bernard O’Connor, OSFS, president of DeSales University. Brown is the sixth person to serve as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at DeSales.
Brown replaces the late James F. Kilcur, Esq., who was a partner at Saul Ewing, LLC, in Philadelphia and a graduate of the class of 1973. Kilcur served as Board Chairman at DeSales for more than 2 years.
Brown was previously a member of the DeSales University Board of Trustees from 1999 until 2012. During that time he chaired the school’s facilities and technology committee as well as the governance committee.
“Doug Brown is a seasoned professional with great appreciation for the values and operations of DeSales University,” said O’Connor. “His keen heart and steady hand will aid our community during this period of grief over the untimely death of Jim Kilcur.”
Brown said: “I am honored to be asked to rejoin the DeSales University Board. I have enjoyed seeing the changes in this dynamic university over the past years and look forward to being part of the next chapter in its growth”.
Brown served as a vice president, general counsel and secretary of Air Products & Chemicals Inc., from 1999 until his retirement in 2007. Previously he was a vice president of administration for gases and equipment at and he held general counsel and various administrative positions with Air Products and its affiliates, including engineering, construction and energy-related businesses since 1975. He joined Air Products in 1975 as an attorney in the law department.
Since 2008, Brown has been a director of Chart Industries Inc.(GTLS), and he is vice chairman of the board of the Wildlands Conservancy. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from Lafayette College, a law degree from the University of Virginia, and he completed the Amos Tuck Executive Program at Dartmouth College in 1985.
“Doug will provide solid leadership for our institution during these challenging times for higher education in America,” said O’Connor.