Pitt’s Board of Trustees committee advances candidates

The Governance and Nominating Committee of Pitt’s Board of Trustees has advanced three new candidates for membership on the board.

The committee advanced Edward J. Grefenstette, president and chief investment officer of The Dietrich Foundation, as well as retired Lieutenant General Patricia D. Horoho and L.B. Foster Company manager of corporate marketing S. Jeffrey Kondis as new board members Wednesday. The nominations are part of the board’s annual nominations for new members, according to Pitt spokesperson Anthony Moore.

Grefenstette said he believes Pitt is “on a fantastic trajectory,” always contributing to Pittsburgh’s growth and strength.

“I’m simply delighted and honored to serve the university,” Grefenstette said in an email. “As a trustee, I hope I can add some insights as [Pitt] tackles both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”

Grefenstette joined the Dietrich Foundation — a Pittsburgh-based charitable trust — in 2010, where he oversees the organization’s operations. He also served as treasurer and chief investment officer for Carnegie Mellon University before joining the Dietrich Foundation.

Grefenstette’s other committee and board memberships include being a trustee and investment committee member of CMU, an investment committee member of UPMC and an advisory board member of investment management company Commonfund Capital.

Pitt alum Horoho was the first nurse and woman to serve as the Surgeon General of the United States Army, according to a release. After retiring from the military in December 2015, Horoho became the managing director and client account lead at federal service company Accenture Federal Services.

Pitt awarded Horoho with an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree at Pitt’s 2012 commencement convocation, where she gave the keynote address. Pitt’s Alumni Association honored Horoho as a Distinguished Alumni Fellow the same year.

Horoho earned a Master of Science degree as a clinical trauma nurse specialist at Pitt in 1992.

Fellow alum S. Jeffrey Kondis has served as an adjunct faculty member of Pitt’s College of Business Administration for 18 years. Kondis has also been an active alum for more than 40 years, serving currently as the president of the Pitt Alumni Association Board of Directors and a life member of the association. He previously served on the association’s Board of Directors as secretary and treasurer.

Kondis also sits on the Board of Directors for Pitt’s Varsity Letter Club and the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and College of Business Administration. He has previously served as the president of both boards.

Kondis earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in chemical engineering in 1977 and a Master of Business Administration Degree in 1982.

“It’s a tremendous honor to me,” Kondis said. “I’ve been serving the university since I’ve graduated in various capacities.”

The full board will vote on their nominations at the board’s June 24 meeting.