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May 25, 2007
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Meeting of the Brown Corporation
Corporation of Brown University Elects 10 Trustees

The Corporation of Brown University elected 10 trustees at its spring meeting Friday, May 25, 2007: Spencer R. Crew, Charles M. Davis, Martin J. Granoff, Annette L. Nazareth, Jonathan M. Nelson, Theresia G. Ranzetta, Ralph F. Rosenberg, Anita V. Spivey, Jerome C. Vascellaro, and William P. Wood. They will be formally engaged at the next Corporation meeting in October 2007.


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PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — At its regular spring business meeting Friday, May 25, 2007, the Corporation of Brown University elected 10 trustees, who will begin their service on July 1, 2007. The president-elect of the Brown Alumni Association and four trustees nominated by the University’s alumni body were among the new trustees elected by the Corporation to serve six-year terms.

The Corporation, the governing body of Brown University, comprises a 12-member Board of Fellows and a 42-member Board of Trustees. It is responsible for establishing broad policies for the operation of the University, for selecting a president to carry out those policies, for appointing administrative officers and faculty members, and for managing the funds and holding the real estate of the University.

The following are newly elected trustees:

Spencer R. Crew is executive director of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. For the last three years, Crew has guided the creation of this cultural institution that honors the legacy of the Underground Railroad. Previously, Crew worked for 20 years at the National Museum of American History, part of the Smithsonian Institution. For eight of those years, Crew was the museum’s director. Crew is a Brown trustee emeritus and served on two presidential search committees. Crew, a 1971 Brown graduate, is currently a member of the University’s Advisory Council on Diversity and recently lectured as part of the speaker series sponsored by the Steering Committee on Slavery and Justice. He is president-elect of the Brown Alumni Association; he will serve as an alumni trustee through June 30, 2013.

Charles M. Davis is chairman and chief executive officer of Fandango Inc., the leading online movie ticketing service. Prior to Fandango, Davis was president and chief executive officer of Shopzilla, formerly BizRate.com. Previously, Davis was president of e-commerce for the Walt Disney Company’s Internet group. Davis has been active with Brown since graduating in 1982, serving in leadership positions for his fifth, 10th, and 20th reunions and currently co-chairing his 25th Reunion Gift Committee. He also serves on Brown’s Advisory Council on Computing and Information Technology, the Alumni Association’s Web Advisory Group, and the Annual Fund Leadership Council. He will serve as an alumni trustee through June 30, 2013.

Martin J. Granoff is a veteran of the textile industry, having been the owner and chairman of Val d’Or, a knitwear manufacturer; chairman and majority shareholder of Koret of California, which makes women’s brand-name clothing; chairman, founder, director, and majority owner of National Textiles; and chairman of the American Apparel Manufacturers Association. Granoff served on the board of directors of Kellwood Company and currently serves as a trustee of Tufts University. Granoff has assumed many leadership positions at Brown, including service as a member of the Creative Arts Advisory Board and a director of the Brown University Sports Foundation. In 2006, Granoff received an honorary degree from the University. Granoff served on the Board of Trustees from 1999 to 2005. He will serve as a term trustee through June 30, 2013.

Annette L. Nazareth is a commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission. She joined the SEC in 1998 as senior counsel and later served as director of the Division of Market Regulation. Nazareth also serves on the Financial Stability Forum, which brings together authorities responsible for financial stability in significant markets. Previously, Nazareth held senior positions at Smith Barney, Lehman Brothers, and Mabon Nugent. After graduating from Brown in 1978, Nazareth began her career at Davis Polk & Wardwell. Honors include the President’s Award from the Securities Industry Association’s legal and compliance division and the Wall Street Letter’s Elan Award for her assistance to the securities industry after the September 11 attacks. She will serve as an alumnae trustee through June 30, 2013.

Jonathan M. Nelson is chief executive officer and founder of Providence Equity Partners Inc., a private firm that specializes in equity investments in communications and media companies around the world. Previously, Nelson was a founder and director of Narragansett Capital Inc. A 1977 graduate of Brown, Nelson serves on the board of directors of Bresnan Broadband Holdings, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., Warner Music Group, Univision Communications Inc. and Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network LLC. Nelson has served as a director of several public companies, including AT&T Canada, Brooks Fiber (now MCI), VoiceStream Wireless Corp. (now Deutsche Telekom) and Wellman Inc. Nelson is a trustee of Trinity Repertory Company. He served on Brown’s Board of Trustees from 2000 to 2006. He will serve as a term trustee through June 30, 2013.

Theresia G. Ranzetta is a managing partner at Accel Partners, a leading venture capital firm. Ranzetta is a director on many corporate boards and has helped several companies develop from startups into successful public companies, including CRS, PeopleSupport, and Walmart.com. Previously, Ranzetta was a founding executive at a startup and worked at Bain & Company and Silicon Graphics. A 1990 graduate, Ranzetta plays an active role at Brown, serving as a vice chair of Boldly Brown: The Campaign for Academic Enrichment, and a volunteer with Alumni Career Connections. Ranzetta also served as an interviewer with the Brown Alumni Schools Committees, on her 15th Reunion Gift Committee, and on the Advisory Council on Computing and Information Technology. She will serve as an alumnae trustee through June 30, 2013.

Ralph F. Rosenberg is managing partner of R6 Capital Management, a hedge fund he founded in 2006, which invests in public and private opportunities in asset-based and corporate situations. Prior to founding R6 Capital, Rosenberg worked at Goldman Sachs, where he was co-founder and co-head of the Global Special Situations Group and also served as co-chief operating officer of the Real Estate Principal Investment Area. Rosenberg became a partner and managing director at Goldman Sachs in 1998. A 1986 Brown graduate, Rosenberg plays an active role at his alma mater, including service as a regional vice chair for Boldly Brown: The Campaign for Academic Enrichment. Rosenberg supports many philanthropic causes, including the Whitney Museum of Art and the Global Fund for Children. He will serve as a term trustee through June 30, 2013.

Anita V. Spivey is an attorney in private practice with extensive experience in corporate finance, securities law, and environmental and energy matters. After graduating from Brown in 1974, and being admitted to the Michigan bar in 1978, Spivey served as in-house counsel for General Motors Corp., Union Texas Petroleum Holdings Inc., and AlliedSignal Inc. Spivey also practiced with the Washington, D.C., firm Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan LLP. Spivey serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and the E.J. Grassman Trust. Spivey has held many leadership roles at Brown, including as a vice chair for Boldly Brown: The Campaign for Academic Enrichment. Spivey served on the Board of Trustees from 1998 to 2004. She will serve as a term trustee through June 30, 2013.

Jerome C. Vascellaro is a partner of the Texas Pacific Group, a private investment firm. Before joining the firm, Vascellaro served for 28 years in senior leadership positions at McKinsey & Company, one of the world’s oldest management consulting firms. Vascellaro serves on the Board of Directors of the Echoing Green Foundation, which supports social entrepreneurs working to solve society’s most difficult problems. A 1974 graduate, Vascarello plays an active role at Brown. He currently serves as a co-chair of Boldly Brown: The Campaign for Academic Enrichment and in July will become vice chancellor of the University. Vascellaro previously served as president of the Brown Alumni Association and chair of the Brown Annual Fund. Vascellaro served on the Board of Trustees from 1999 to 2005. He will serve as a term trustee through June 30, 2013.

William P. Wood co-founded Austin Ventures, one of the largest venture capital firms in the country. Since retiring, Wood has continued his venture investing through Silverton Partners and also co-founded the Silverton Foundation, a private foundation focused on empowering the working poor. In recognition of his support for the entrepreneurial community, Wood received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award and the Austin Technology Pillar Award. A 1978 Brown graduate, Wood serves as a vice chair for Boldly Brown: The Campaign for Academic Enrichment and on the President’s Leadership Council. He is a volunteer with Alumni Career Connections and with the Brown Alumni Schools Committees. He will serve as an alumni trustee through June 30, 2013.

The 10 new members of the Board of Trustees will be formally engaged at the next regular meeting of the Corporation in October.

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