Stepping Down but Not Out

Though President Mitch Daniels is stepping away from the presidency of Purdue University at the end of December, he will not be going away entirely. At the requests of President-elect Mung Chiang, Purdue’s board of trustees and the Purdue Research Foundation Board of Directors, Daniels will remain for now as PRF chair – in an unpaid, voluntary capacity. The PRF Board of Directors on Wednesday (Nov. 16) voted unanimously to amend PRF’s bylaws to open up the possibility for this designation.  

Daniels will remain in a role in which he helped oversee record results for number of U.S. patents and corporate partnerships through the PRF. The organization has also expanded to lead economic development through the Discovery Park District at Purdue project, entrepreneurial ecosystem tech transfer/commercialization, and the creation of the Purdue for Life Foundation under his chairmanship.

President-elect Chiang initiated conversation with the PRF Board of Directors in early October.

“As I continue past the midpoint of the six-month transition period, I am increasingly convinced, through the listening tour across a wide range of important topics, that I would like to dedicate the first year of my service as the president to the students, faculty, and staff on our campuses,” Chiang said.

Chiang continued to say, “In the meantime, there are several other projects of significance and urgency, mostly in the purview of PRF. I sincerely submit this recommendation for the PRF board to consider the continuation of Mr. Daniels as chairman of the PRF board.”   

The PRF Board of Directors and Chiang approached Daniels, asking if he would consider remaining as chair.

 “Agreeing to this arrangement took some thought,” Daniels said. “On one hand, I believe firmly that a person leaving a job like mine should leave completely, making certain never to intrude on his successor’s activities.

Daniels went on to say, “I’ll be careful to observe that rule. But given what Purdue means to me and the strong urging of the president-elect and the trustees, I’m willing to extend for a time, as a volunteer, my PRF participation. Now and always, I’ll do anything Purdue asks of me.”

Key assignments for PRF Chairman Daniels in 2023 include: 

• Continuing the ongoing economic development pipeline and growth of Discovery Park District at Purdue. 
• Serving as liaison to the state legislature and Indiana government as Purdue establishes an independent presence in Indianapolis. 
• Optimizing the programs and governance of PRF in light of the substantial growth in the scope and scale of this nonprofit corporation.

“With President Daniels at the helm, we saw record-breaking innovation and commercialization, a full transformation of the State Street corridor, exponential growth in economic development and expansion of Discovery Park District at Purdue, and crucial partnerships that resulted in significant investment in our community,” said Brian Edelman, president of Purdue Research Foundation.

Edelman continued to say, “We are honored that President Daniels has accepted this request. He is a tireless champion of our mission and a visionary leader; this amendment fortifies our commitment to Purdue, and we will continue the momentum toward the next giant leaps.” 
 
PRF bylaws previously provided that the president of Purdue University serves ex-officio as the chair of the PRF Board of Directors. Based on Chiang’s recommendation, the PRF board amended the bylaws where its board chair may be either the president of the university or an individual designated by the president. Chiang said that on Jan. 1, when he becomes president of Purdue University, he will designate Daniels as the PRF board chairman.