Published November 13, 2025
Dear Members of the UB Community,
Yesterday, the Presidential Search Committee held its first meeting, during which SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. formally charged the committee with the important task of identifying the next President of the University at Buffalo.
The Presidential Search Committee is composed of a diverse group of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community representatives. I am honored to serve as Chair of this committee and grateful to each member of the committee for their willingness to assist in recruiting an outstanding leader for the university.
We have engaged Russell Reynolds Associates to assist in the search. Jett Pihakis will serve as the principal consultant. Jett brings extensive experience in recruiting senior administrators, and his knowledge of our university will make him a highly effective partner throughout this process.
The search committee will begin its work immediately. We will provide updates on the committee’s progress throughout the search, and additional information will be available on the search website. We will also share details in the coming days about upcoming listening sessions with the campus community, where we look forward to hearing directly from you about the qualities and qualifications you hope to see in UB’s next President.
Thank you in advance for your engagement and contributions to this important university process.
Sincerely,
Jerry Jacobs Jr.
Chair, Presidential Search Committee
Chair, UB Council