DONALD A. PELS

PELS--Donald A. The trustees, faculty, students, and staff of The Rockefeller University mourn the loss of our cherished friend Donald A. Pels, an esteemed member of our Board of Trustees for more than two decades. Donald Pels joined The Rockefeller University Board of Trustees in 1993 and was elected Emeritus Trustee in 2003. Over the years, Don served on many Board committees, including Audit, Budget and Operations, Development, and Technology Transfer. His participation in the work of these committees and his commitment to advancing scientific research greatly strengthened the University. Early in his involvement at Rockefeller, Don took a leadership role by establishing the Pels Family Center for Biochemistry and Structural Biology. Through his gift creating the Pels Family Center, he helped recruit several outstanding early-career faculty, providing them with enhanced opportunities to share ideas and collaborate. Don was deeply interested in the young investigators he supported, and he derived enormous pleasure from meeting with them to learn about their work. Don's passion for scientific inquiry led him to establish the Pels Family Professorship, an endowed chair for a senior faculty member. Don and his wife, Wendy Keys, also supported many other initiatives at Rockefeller, including the Tri-Institutional Noon Concert Series. Beyond Rockefeller, Don will be remembered for his service on the boards of a number of prestigious institutions, including the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center and the Philharmonic Symphony Society of New York, and his active engagement in the cultural life of New York City. Don will be greatly missed by the Rockefeller campus community. We send our heartfelt condolences to Don's beloved wife, Wendy; his three children, Juliette, Valerie and Laurence; and his entire family. David Rockefeller, Honorary Chairman Russell Carson, Chairman Richard Furlaud, Chairman Emeritus Marc Tessier-Lavigne, President Torsten Wiesel, President Emeritus Tarun Kapoor, Pels Family Professor