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July 2, 2015

Fitchburg State welcomes its 11th president

COURTESY Richard S. Lapidus

Richard S. Lapidus became the 11th president of Fitchburg State University Wednesday.

Lapidus, former dean of the College of Business Administration at California Polytechnic University, was selected after a national search to replace Robert V. Antonucci. Antonucci, president since 2003, announced last fall he would retire in June.

“This is an exciting time to join Fitchburg State,” Lapidus said in a statement released by the school Wednesday. “Thanks to the extraordinary accomplishments of President Antonucci, the university enjoys a formidable reputation in the region and the state.”

“We welcome the arrival of President Lapidus to campus,” Trustees Chairman Martin F. Connors Jr. said in the statement. “From the first round of interviews last winter to his on-campus meetings with students, faculty, staff and community members that followed, Dr. Lapidus stood out from an impressive field of candidates.”

Connors said Lapidus and Antonucci spent considerable time preparing for the transition over the past several months, including personal meetings with several government and community leaders. “The transition has been smooth, and President Lapidus has a strong foundation to build upon in the months and years to come. The university is in excellent shape, with a talented team already in place,” Connors said.

According to the school, the new president earned a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, a master’s degree in marketing from CSU Long Beach, a doctoral degree in marketing from the University of Nebraska and a certificate in management and leadership in education from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Before joining academia, Lapidus worked as an account manager for NCR Corporation in New York and as a sales representative for Moore Corporation in New York.

He began his deanship in California in 2009. He was previously associate dean of administration and associate professor in the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He also served as chair of the marketing department.

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