L. Thomas Melly, Hobart Class of 1952, your example of leadership and great affection for these Colleges is immeasurable. Today we stand and express our great affection for you.
Your tireless and extraordinary support of Hobart and William Smith Colleges began almost as soon as you walked across this stage fifty years ago. Since that time, you have set the standard for all others to follow. Your dedication of time, talent, and treasure to the future success of these Colleges epitomizes your leadership. You have been an invaluable member of the Board of Trustees since 1981 and led these Colleges as Chairman of the Board from 1988 to 1998. Your leadership recalls the words of historian Harold J. Seymour, “Leaders are the ones who keep faith with the past, keep step with the present, and keep the promise to posterity.”
A persuasive “ask-er,” you led the Colleges through a highly successful capital campaign that ensured the fiscal viability of this institution. When Tom Melly called to take a prospective donor to lunch, there would be no saying “no.” Your enthusiasm for and love of this campus and its students has been infectious, and few – if any – have been immune.
One of the many examples of your deep and abiding commitment to these Colleges is the L. Thomas Melly Academic Center. By providing a spacious, modern location for “round the clock” study, including library improvements and a multimedia center, you have in great measure enhanced our students' academic success.
Your commitment to supporting deserving students through the L. Thomas and Alice P. Melly Scholarship reflects the passion that you and your wife, Alice, share for academic excellence and the liberal arts. The Colleges' Board of Trustees, in a gesture of affection and appreciation for your service, established a scholarship in your honor that continues to benefit students in need.
Your Hobart degree in economics prepared you well to be a respected leader in the world of finance, and to rise to the position of partner at Goldman Sachs, a leading global investment banking company. Your service to local organizations in your community of Greenwich, Connecticut, and as a member of the National Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges makes you a shining example for today's graduates. L. Thomas Melly, you are a man who has done what many in this world only aspire to do – you have made a difference in the world.