The Board of Trustees under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Ruler of Sharjah, of the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates has announced that Dr. Cleve McDaniel will be its new Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration. It is a bittersweet moment for me to announce that Dr. McDaniel will be leaving DRI to take this position, in that I am very pleased that others have recognized his talent and sad that we here at DRI will lose his skills, innovation, and future assistance. I want to express my sincere and profound gratitude for all the significant contributions that Dr. McDaniel has made to our institution as well as the critical role he played in making DRI's administration and financial systems operate with effectiveness and efficiencies.

Dr. McDaniel became the Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration and Chief Operating Officer in 2005. His leadership and oversight of DRI's facilities planning and management, financial services including the budget office, human resources, information technology and the Institutional Bylaws and Guidance Committee (IBG) has been exemplary and serves as a standard for all of DRI's administrators.

There are several areas where I want to recognize the major role that Dr. McDaniel has played in DRI's operations, however, I will only point out a few. His efforts in an open and rational process for budget development, in establishing new business models such as direct costing, in overseeing the details of DRI's growth in facilities, in establishing and directing an internal institutional review of various administrative components for reallocation assessments, and in leading the development of the Institute's strategic plan are but a few of his major accomplishments.

His skills and collaborative efforts positioned DRI well for addressing profound reduction in state support during the past two legislative sessions. In addition, as the president of the DRI Research Park, he reinvigorated the Board of Trustees, led the development of the strategic directions and marketing strategies for the research park, oversaw the federal grant to develop a business incubator feasibility study and business plan, and cultivated public-private partnerships and venture capital opportunities for the research park. He clearly has positioned the research park for a successful future.

The list goes on and many of you will add your own thoughts on how Dr. McDaniel has made DRI a stronger institution, but there is no doubt that he has left an indelible mark on DRI now and for our future. Please join me in wishing Cleve the best in his next professional endeavor.