Conn hires VP of HR
Connecticut College has hired Reginald White, currently the senior director of human resources for the division of research and innovation at Cornell University, to become the College’s new vice president for Human Resources. White will begin in his new role on March 14.
“Reginald White is a talented leader who brings to Conn three decades of professional experience in human resources, marketing, and finance together with a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Conn President Katherine Bergeron.
“We are thrilled that he will be bringing his broad vision of full participation to human resources at Connecticut College.”
White earned a bachelors of science in psychology and human development from Cornell and an executive masters in business administration from Boston University. He held positions at Bank of Boston, Citibank and KeyBank, before moving into executive leadership roles in human resources and marketing at both Fidelity Investments and Merrill Lynch. In 2009, he founded Toran Enterprises, a consulting firm specializing in executive coaching and professional development in equity and inclusion for both international and domestic clients. In 2017, he returned to his alma mater as an organizational strategist and, in 2019, became senior director of human resources for Cornell’s research division.
Much of White’s career has been focused on developing strategies to create more equitable communities. As a leader, he has been committed to advancing policies and practices that allow all members of a community to achieve their potential and feel a sense of place and of belonging. For the past three years, that commitment has been focused in the division of research and innovation at Cornell, where he has been a strategic partner to the vice president and has overseen human resources and communications for the division’s many centers and programs. In that capacity, he has also provided opportunities for equity and leadership development to staff and faculty across the campus. In 2020, he became an employee-elected representative to the Cornell Board of Trustees.
As the new vice president for Human Resources, White will be responsible for the care and development of a talented workforce with more than 700 employees in a range of professional roles. This includes fostering innovation in every dimension of the job, including organizational design, recruitment and hiring, employee relations, job assessment and satisfaction, health and benefits administration, document management, personnel classification, compensation, and continuous professional development.
“Reginald comes into the role at a moment when employers across the country are redoubling their efforts to advance diversity, equity and inclusion; reassess workplace practices; and improve employee experience in an increasingly competitive market for talent—all while dealing with an ongoing pandemic,” Bergeron said.
“His range of experience, combined with his creative and collaborative spirit, make him the ideal leader to build a new kind of HR office—one that not only elevates the experience of all who work at Conn but also becomes an exemplar for the future of the field.”
