POTSDAM -- Lawrence J. Delaney, Clarkson class of 1957 (B.S.) and 1958 (M.S.), of Potomac, Md., was elected to serve as the chair of the University's board of trustees during the board's spring meeting this weekend.

Delaney is the retired executive vice president, operations, and president of the Advanced Systems Development Sector at Titan Corporation.

As only the 20th leader of the board since Clarkson was founded in 1896, Delaney succeeds Thomas E. Holliday, who requested an orderly transition of leadership to coincide with the launch of a major long-range planning process this summer.

Delaney has been a University trustee since 2005. Delaney has more than 40 years of international experience in high technology program acquisition, management and engineering. Prior to joining Titan, Delaney was chairman of the board, CEO and president of Areté Associates.

He completed his public service in 2001, as acting undersecretary of the Air Force. He was sworn in as assistant secretary of the Air Force (acquisition), a presidential appointment position requiring Senate confirmation in 1999.

He also held the position of chief information officer of the Air Force. From January 20 until June 1, 2001, Delaney also held the position of acting secretary of the Air Force.

Previously, Delaney was president of Delaney Group Inc., a technical and business consulting firm he founded in 1997. Additionally, Delaney, who is fluent in German, was managing director, BDM Europe (Berlin), the European holding company for BDM International Inc., where he was a corporate vice president. He was also senior vice president and group manager at IABG.

Earlier in his career, Delaney was managing partner, member of the board of directors, and director, Washington Operations of Montgomery & Associates. He also served as a group senior vice president at SAIC as well as a deputy sector manager of the SAIC Military Sciences/Information Systems Sector. Delaney has directed programs for the chief of naval operations, the Defense Nuclear Agency, and the U.S. Army.

Delaney received a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from Clarkson University in 1957, a master of science in chemical engineering from Clarkson University in 1958, and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 1961.

Delaney was elected to the Clarkson University board of trustees in May 2005 and has been the board secretary since 2010. He currently serves on the executive, compensation, academic affairs committees, and chairs the research committee.

In 1992, Delaney was appointed vice chairman of the National Academy of Science Board on Army Science and Technology and was chairman of the Air Force Studies Board from 2002 to 2007. In 2001, he was awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service and the Department of the Air Force Decoration of Exceptional Civilian Service. The Department of the Army awarded Delaney the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal for his work on the Army Science Board.

He currently serves as chairman of the Air Force Science and Technology Board for the National Academy of Sciences and vice chairman of the Army Science Board.

Delaney and his wife, Angie, reside in Potomac, Md. They have five grown children: Lawrence, Joseph, John, Eugene and Christopher.