Massachusetts IT leader Buchwald appointed to CIO post at Lewis & Clark

January 12, 2012

President Barry Glassner announced today that Adam Buchwald, a top IT administrator at Massachusetts College of Art and Design since 2005, has been appointed Lewis & Clark’s new chief information officer. Buchwald becomes head of Information Technology at the college effective March 5.

Vice President and Provost Jane Atkinson said Buchwald is an excellent choice to lead IT because of his combination of technical knowledge and communication skills. “In addition to his considerable expertise in technology and resource and project management, Adam has strong skills as a communicator,” Atkinson said. “He has a talent for listening well, synthesizing quickly, conveying information directly, and collaborating effectively with others to advance institutional priorities.”

President Glassner added that Buchwald “impressed me as someone with the experience and talent to be a true leader for IT and help us bring technology to bear in the ways that will most effectively serve our students and move Lewis & Clark forward.”

Buchwald, a Whitman College graduate and former IT officer at Pacific University, has worked in several capacities at MassArt, including as director of information technology, acting associate vice president for technology and chief information officer, and deputy chief information officer. Prior to joining MassArt, Buchwald worked in IT positions at Simmons College and Roscommon Associates, both in Boston, as well as at Pacific, where he served from 1997 to 2000.

“Technology is rapidly changing and is offering new opportunities that did not exist in the past. I’m excited about how we can realize the potential of these changes and harness them in ways that most benefit the Lewis & Clark community,” Buchwald said. “I look forward to discussions about how this future should look on campus, and to leading the institution in those directions.”

Buchwald’s other professional activities include membership on the board of directors of the conservation group Greater Boston Trout Unlimited, which he has also served as IT consultant since 2006. In addition, he attended the 2010 summer leadership institute of EDUCAUSE, an organization that works to advance the higher education sector through intelligent use of technology.

“I could not be more excited to join the Lewis & Clark community,” Buchwald said. “I’ve known former students and employees, and every one of them speaks highly of the school and community. All of the people I met on campus solidified this feeling, and I am looking forward to the years to come.”

Atkinson hailed Keiko Pitter for her leadership of IT during the interim period that ends with Buchwald’s arrival in March. “Keiko postponed her retirement to oversee our IT division during this transition, and she has done an outstanding job,” Atkinson said. “We appreciate her energy, wisdom, and leadership.”

In addition, Atkinson expressed her thanks to the more than 60 members of the campus community who interviewed finalists for the CIO position individually or in small groups. Atkinson, who oversaw the search, said, “These sessions generated valuable feedback while providing the candidates with a deeper understanding of the college, its needs, and its direction.”