(March 23, 1999) — Frank E. Richardson has been elected a Trustee of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, it was announced today by James R. Houghton, Chairman of the Board of the Museum. The election took place at the March 9 meeting of the Board of Trustees.
Mr. Houghton commented on Mr. Richardson's election: "We are delighted to welcome Frank Richardson to the Board. Over the past decade he has shown substantial dedication to The Metropolitan Museum of Art and — through The Richardson Foundation — to preserving and enhancing the arts and cultural institutions in New York City. His expertise and prowess in the matters of finance will be invaluable assets to the Metropolitan as we continue to refine our collections, broaden our public programs, and work to guarantee our continued financial stability for the future."
A longtime supporter of the Museum and its programs, Mr. Richardson has been a member of the Business Committee of The Metropolitan Museum of Art since 1987 and was elected a Benefactor in 1988. He is also a member of the Chairman's Council and serves on the Visiting Committee for European Sculpture and Decorative Arts as well as the Friends of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts. Through his involvement in The Fund for the Met, Mr. Richardson has pledged significant support to endow scholarly projects that promote Western art and culture.
A graduate of Princeton University (1961) where he majored in the history of art, Mr. Richardson earned a masters degree with honors in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from the Oxford University prior to attending Harvard Law School, from which he graduated in 1967. He practiced law as a member the Office of the General Counsel of the World Bank and then in private practice in Washington, D.C., before being recruited to handle business acquisitions for Studebaker-Worthington in 1971. Since that time, Mr. Richardson has held a variety of positions in the business and financial fields; most recently, he formed F.E. Richardson & Co. in 1995 to manage investment interests in some 20 closely held operating businesses. In 1996, he organized Enterprise NewsMedia, which controls several daily newspapers in New England.
In addition to his involvement with the Metropolitan, Mr. Richardson serves on numerous charitable boards. He is a member of the Dean's Advisory Counsel of Harvard Law School and serves as a director of The Princeton University Investment Company and of Nassau Capital, both of which manage the endowment of Princeton University. He is a Waynflete (life) Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, and President of the American Friends of Magdalen College.
Mr. Richardson lives in New York City.
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