Robert A. Reichley

REICHLEY, ROBERT A.
former Executive Vice President for Alumni, Public Affairs and External Relations at Brown University, died on May 15, 2018, in Providence, RI. He was 91.
Reichley graduated from York Junior College (now York College) in York, PA. He received his bachelor's degree in English from Ursinus College, in Collegeville , PA, and subsequently worked ten years as a reporter at the York Dispatch. His public relations career began at Culver Military Academy, where he transformed the school's magazine into an award-winning publication. Brown University hired him as the editor of its alumni magazine in 1968. The next year the magazine won the Robert Sibley Award for best university magazine in the country. After two and a half years, he was asked to create the first University Relations Department. By 1977, Reichley headed all University relations: media, alumni, community, government, general public relations, external communications, major University events and special programs. He was promoted to Executive Vice President for Alumni, Public Affairs and External Relations in 1990. After 30 years, four presidents, and numerous awards, honors and honorary degrees, he retired as executive vice president and secretary of the university.
Reichley's department won over 400 national awards of excellence during his tenure at Brown. As a co-founder, trustee, and later Chairman of the Board of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Higher Education (CASE), he was honored with several awards, including one of which he was most proud, the Father Theodore Hesburgh Medal, which is given to a CASE trustee who most exemplifies the educational dedication and leadership of the former Notre Dame president. Reichley was awarded honorary doctorates from York College, Ursinus and Brown.
He had a lifelong love of the arts. As Chairman of the Board at Ursinus he led the successful campaign for a $25 million performing arts center. In recognition of his and his wife Sara's long-standing support of music at Brown and in Rhode Island, the Sara and Robert A. Reichley Concert Fund was established in 1997. Reichley was most proud of the program he set up at Brown that brought internationally known musicians to play with the Brown Orchestra. Performers included Mstislav Rostropovich, Itzak Perlman, Wynton Marsalis, Aaron Copland, Marilyn Horne.
The state of Rhode Island, and especially Providence, was dear to him. He was Chairman of the Providence Foundation; President of the Providence Preservation Society; President of the Greater Providence Convention and Visitors Bureau; Commissioner on the Capital Center Commission; member of the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority; and a board member or chairman of the board of Trinity Square Repertory Company, the Rhode Island Commodores, the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rhode Island Committee for the Humanities, and the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, among others.
He is survived by his wife, Sara; his four children, Nancy Reichley of Seattle, WA; David Reichley of Cambria Heights, N.Y.; Rob Reichley of Charlotte, N.C.; John Reichley of Franklin, MA; and six grandchildren. The burial will be private; a memorial service will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider the following donations:
Sara and Robert A. Reichley Concert Fund: Send check to Brown University Department of Music, Attn: Mary Rego, Box 1924, Providence, RI 02912 & note the name of the fund in the memo section) or Ursinus College: https://www.ursinus.edu/support-uc/ways-to-give/
Complete obit at monahandrabblesherman.com