REMARKS BY EDWARD R. MACKAY ON RECEIVING DISTINGUISHED BUSINESS OFFICER AWARD

June 28, 2009

Thank you Mary Jo, and a special thanks to the members of the nominating committee (Awards Council) and to the full NACUBO Board, and in particular to that "swing" vote that provided the margin for my selection.

Being fortunate enough to know many of the prior recipients of the DBO and the contributions they made to our profession, I am very, very honored to join them. And I am very pleased to be able to enter this select group with Yoke San, who I have long admired as one of the truly talented and gracious individuals in our field. Yoke San and I were especially pleased the Committee decided to establish a new precedent this year with the DBO awards and combine it with rising star recognition, or at least that is my interpretation of why two such young people were selected!

I am deeply appreciative of the efforts of many that make it possible for me to stand here today, and I want to take a moment to mention just a few.

First, my wife Phyllis and our daughters, Holly and Cameron, have been extraordinarily supportive over the years and unfailingly understanding when various commitments led to me missing one of their activities, and it is wonderful to have them here with our son-in-law Neil and grandson Liam, and Cameron's friend Jason.

From my extended family in the University System of New Hampshire, there is a long list of past and present colleagues in both the system office and on the campuses who have given freely of their time so I could participate more fully in our association. The colleagues here for this program are Ken Cody, who in a couple days will be formally assuming many of my duties within the USNH, and from the Chancellor's staff, Ron Rodgers, Joan Tambling, and Kathy Salisbury.

Professionally, I have been blessed with a succession of wonderful mentors and colleagues, beginning with my introduction to EACUBO through my boss, Ed Smith, and continuing with Mary Lai, Jay Morley, John Palmucci, David Healy, Mary Jo Maydew and many others and then through more extensive involvement with NACUBO, where I had an "All Star" team of Board members and committee chairs that included Jay, Janice Abraham, Richard West, Joe Mullinix, Jerry Farley, Diane Oakley....and we all "advanced" together. It has literally "taken a village" to accept the burden of nurturing and guiding me.

The point is that none of us succeeds alone - it is the people that make our profession great.

And that is why I want to take a moment to talk about NACUBO. In the studies of why certain associations thrive and others fail, there are three defining characteristics: (1) credibility, (2) content, and (3) community.

NACUBO is the gold standard for credibility, known throughout higher education as the honest knowledge broker of fiscal matters.

Through the various national and regional activities, programs, publications, and other materials, NACUBO provides value-added content that business officers cannot obtain elsewhere and rely on to inform our work.

And possibly most important, NACUBO provides the opportunity to come together as a community and learn from each other.

NACUBO has been built on participation that creates a sense of community - often initially obtained through one of the regional associations - and developed and reinforced through countless interactions that establish the networks on which we rely.

In receiving this award today, it is in very large part because of others.

The individuals within this room represent the very best of our past, present, and future. We face very challenging times in higher education, but I draw comfort from, and have the secure confidence in, the collective wisdom and skill set we bring to solve problems, ensuring higher education will scale the Green (Monster) Wall and continue to lead in producing the knowledge and informed citizens that drive our economy and the very way of life we cherish.

I have been the beneficiary - personally and professionally - of NACUBO. You have been generous in giving to me throughout my career, and any success is clearly attributable to your guidance and support. It has been a privilege to serve with so many talented "teachers" and I Thank You from the bottom of my heart for this award.