Stephen Joel Trachtenberg

Stephen Joel Trachtenberg (1937-) is a former President of The George Washington University and currently holds the title of President Emeritus and University Professor of Public Service. He assumed this title on August 1, 2007.

Until its merger with PNC Bank in 2005, Trachtenberg sat on the Board of Directors of Riggs Bank.

Background

Trachtenberg is a native of Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from Columbia University in 1959, and earned a Juris Doctor from Yale in 1962 and a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard in 1966.

He began his career in higher education at Boston University and later became President at the University of Hartford. From there he went to George Washington University in Washington, DC.

He is the author of numerous books including "The Art of Hiring in America's Colleges & Universities", "Thinking Out Loud", "Reflections on Higher Education", "Speaking His Mind," and "Big Man on Campus".

The George Washington University

Trachtenberg started a full scholarship program for DC public school students, increased the national profile of the University, and has fostered the observance of school traditions such as George Washington's birthday celebration. He also added new traditions such as an irreverent Hippo mascot and chimes of the GW Fight Song and the Alma Mater which sound from University Yard.

The university renamed the public policy school for Trachtenberg, calling it the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration, similar to when the university renamed the Elliott School of International Affairs for Lloyd Elliott, the outgoing president. Trachtenberg holds an endowed chair of public service in the newly named Trachtenberg School.

Riggs Bank

Trachtenberg also sat on the nine-member board of directors of Riggs Bank (along with two other George Washington University trustees, one being the son of Riggs' largest shareholder Joe Allbritton) during a period of scandal for the bank. Controversy was sparked when it was later discovered that, while Trachtenberg was a member of the board:
*The Bank's Board had opposed international efforts to seize the accounts of such Riggs clients as former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, even going so far as to hide Pinochet's assets,
*Numerous suspicious transactions concerning Riggs accounts with Saudi royalty had been used to benefit two of the 9/11 hijackers,Leading to an investigation by the OCC into Riggs' dealings, and a report written by the then minority party (Democrats) of the U.S. Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations in 2004. [ [http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/_files/ACF5F8.pdf "MONEY LAUNDERING AND FOREIGN CORRUPTION: ENFORCEMENT AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PATRIOT ACT, CASE STUDY INVOLVING RIGGS BANK"] , page 15. "United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Committee on Governmental Affairs". July 15 2004. Accessed June 2 2008.] [O'Hara, Terence [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14114-2005Jan16_2.html "Riggs Directors on 2 Boards Share Personal Ties to Allbritton"] "The Washington Post", page E10. January 17 2005. Accessed June 2 2008.] [ Tuttle, Thane [http://media.www.gwhatchet.com/media/storage/paper332/news/2004/09/03/MetroNews/Sjt-Remains.Silent.On.Riggs.Bank.Relationship-710387.shtml "SJT remains silent on Riggs Bank relationship."] 'The G.W. Hatchet", September 3 2004. Accessed June 2 2008.]

Other

According to an inscription on the reverse side of a bust of George Washington on the North lawn of the House of the Temple [ [http://www.scottishrite.org/visitors/gardens.html Virtual Tour: Lawn & Temple Gardens] House of the Temple Homepage] (a Masonic temple in Washington, D.C.), Trachtenberg is also a 33° Freemason of the Scottish Rite.

References

External links

* [http://www.gwu.edu/~presemer/]
* [http://www.gwhatchet.com/media/paper332/sections/20060406SJTRetirement.html GW Hatchet coverage of Trachtenberg's retirement]
* [http://media.www.gwhatchet.com/media/storage/paper332/news/2007/04/09/News/Breaking.News.Trachtenberg.To.Headline.Commencement-2834899.shtml GW Hatchet article on Trachtenberg keynoting Commencement 2007 at GWU]