Fiscal Year 2024 | Endowed Chair and Research Report | Visions Brought to
Letter from the Provost
Endowing Legends
Natural History Museum of Utah’s endowed directorship paves the way to build upon the legacy of its namesake.
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Catalyzing Discovery
4 A Legacy Unfolding
Kendall D. Garff’s landmark endowment gift in the 80s set the David Eccles School of Business on a transformative path—one chair at a time.
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With the support of an endowed chair, Scott Summers is driving breakthroughs in diabetes treatment.
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Families First Endowed chair in College of Nursing helps families through palliative and end-of-life care initiatives.
Raising All Boats Retiring presidential endowed chair in nuclear engineering leaves legacy built on collaboration, service, and mentorship.
On the cover:
Inaugural Kendall D. Garff Presidential Endowed Chair, Cal Boardman, PhD
The award-winning Natural History Museum of Utah continues to inspire as its inaugural endowed director builds upon the work of his legendary predecessor, Sarah B. George, PhD.
TALENT AND MOMENTUM
When I joined the University of Utah as provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, I did so because I saw an institution on the rise—one with audacious goals and the talent and momentum to achieve them.
Over the past two years, I have learned more about these goals, meeting with colleagues in every college and school on campus to gain a deeper understanding of where they’ve been and where they want to go. What strikes me from these conversations is how deeply committed faculty and staff are to student success and to shaping the U into the model public university we strive to be.
Our vision to become a top 10 public university is made possible by those who fuel us on this journey—benefactors like you. In this report, you will read stories about scientific discovery, community collaboration, and
educational excellence that demonstrate the incredible power of our endowment, particularly to faculty chairs. These funds are not only foundational to the U’s financial stability and strength, but they also bolster our ability to attract and retain the best educators, researchers and clinicians to this institution.
On behalf of the leadership team, I wish to thank you for your ongoing commitment to the people and programs at the University of Utah. Your generosity ensures that this special place will continue to thrive, impacting lives on campus and far beyond for years to come.
Sincerely,
Mitzi Montoya, PhD Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs University of Utah
A LEGACY UNFOLDING
Kendall D. Garff’s landmark endowment gift in the 80s set the David Eccles School of Business on a transformative path—one chair at a time
WORDS BY AUDREY MAYNARD
Kendall D. Garff inspired a legacy of giving in 1978 by endowing a professorship in the School of Business.
In the 2012 PBS Utah documentary Ethically Speaking:
Stories from Utah Business Leaders, the late Bob Garff, BS ’66, MBA ’67, spoke about the values of his father, auto dealer and philanthropist Ken Garff, BA ’32, that foundationally shaped his outlook on business and life.
“My dad was my hero … he always helped the underdog, and he was very compassionate. He loved people—and he loved helping them,” he said in the documentary.
This commitment to helping people was undoubtedly key to Ken Garff’s success as an entrepreneur, and it proved to be a driving force in shaping the University of Utah into the institution it is today.
In 1978, the elder Garff established his family’s philanthropic legacy at the U by donating $500,000 to endow a professorship in the School of Business. This gift—at the time the largest in the school’s history—eventually grew into the Kendall D. Garff Presidential Endowed Chair, equipping leaders at the David Eccles School of Business to recruit and retain top-tier faculty.
Cal Boardman, PhD, professor emeritus of finance, was the inaugural Kendall D. Garff Presidential Endowed Chair, an appointment he held from 2000–2010. Although he only had the opportunity to meet his benefactor a couple of times, he developed a close friendship with other members of the family, particularly Bob and his wife, Kathi, BS ’64.
“When I think of the Garff family, I think about how they are the embodiment of what businesses can and should be: an immense source of good in our community and a
“These leaders, in their own words, shared how important it was to them in business to be a good citizen; to be ethical; to share; and, yes, make money—but to do so in the right way.”
reflection of the values of the people who own them, run them, and work for them,” Dr. Boardman said.
Dr. Boardman’s tenure as the Garff Chair marked an incredible period of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and freedom. During this time, he published four editions of his groundbreaking textbook Foundations of Business Thought for a class he estimates 80,000–100,000 university students have taken. He was also responsible for establishing the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative, which promotes principlebased ethics in personal and organizational decision-making and leadership within the business school. And in 2010, he embarked on a scholarly adventure to interview 26 business leaders with Utah ties to understand the values that guided them in their business pursuits. These interviews provided the raw material for the Ethically Speaking documentary in which Bob Garff was later featured.
“These leaders, in their own words, shared how important it was to them in business to be a good citizen; to be ethical; to share; and, yes, make money—but to do so in the right way,”
Dr. Boardman explained.
“I was taken by that and inspired to share their lessons with my students and the greater public.”
Cal Boardman, PhD, professor emeritus of finance, became the inaugural Kendall D. Garff Presidential Endowed Chair in 2000.
In 2011, Scott Schaefer, PhD, professor of finance at the David Eccles School of Business, became the second appointee to the Kendall D. Garff Presidential Endowed Chair. While chair, Dr. Schaefer served as associate dean at the school, and he was instrumental in the creation of the Marriner S. Eccles Institute for Economics and Quantitative Analysis, a world-class center for economic research and interdisciplinary learning for future
“My tenure as the Garff Chair was a very busy time, especially around 2014 when the seeds for the institute and our undergraduate economics major were just being planted,” Dr. Schaefer said. “Now, I see the many ways by which the institute impacts the student experience: through scholarships, study trips, academic competitions, and, quite simply, the caliber of faculty we are able to recruit.”
The Garff family name is displayed prominently on buildings across campus, but Dr. Schaefer believes their true impact lies in making higher education more accessible to those who seek it.
“I had an office in the old Ken Garff building, I held the Ken Garff Chair, and my current office is in the new Garff building—I can’t even imagine what this institution would be like without their support,” Dr. Schaefer said. “But what makes me the proudest to work at the University of Utah is the fact that we offer an excellent education at a reasonable cost. Supporters like the Garffs are the reason this is possible.”
Scott Schaefer, PhD, professor of finance at the David Eccles School of Business, became the second appointee to the Kendall D. Garff Presidential Endowed Chair.
Today, Jonathan Brogaard, PhD, professor of finance, is the latest appointee to the Kendall D. Garff Presidential Endowed Chair. He joined the university in 2018 and founded the university’s Institute of Advanced Investment Management, which strives to be a leading center for the study of investment and portfolio management. A prolific researcher, Dr. Brogaard earned the David Eccles School of Business Faculty Research Excellence Award for placing three papers in the nation’s top three finance publications in one year.
“Endowed chairs are a big deal because they increase faculty’s recognition and visibility, not only on campus but outside the university as well,” he explained. “Last year, I had the incredible opportunity of providing expert testimony to Congress regarding the Securities and Exchange Commission’s proposed equity market structure reforms. It was an experience I’ll never forget.”
Dr. Brogaard believes it’s an exciting time to be at the U, and he looks forward to doing his part to advance President Randall’s bold vision. He is grateful for the Garff family and their decades-long commitment to the university community, starting with Ken Garff’s transformational gift nearly 50 years ago.
“The Garffs have made a profound impact on both faculty and students, empowering the university to elevate the quality of our education, attract top talent, and prepare the next generation of business leaders,” he said. “Their belief in the power of education is helping shape a brighter future for us all.”
Jonathan Brogaard, PhD, professor of finance at the David Eccles School of Business, is the current appointee to the Kendall D. Garff Presidential Endowed Chair.
ENDOWING LEGENDS
BY
PHOTO
MARK JOHNSTON
Jason Cryan, PhD, is the first to hold the Dr. Sarah B. George Endowed Directorship at the Natural History Museum of Utah.
Natural History Museum of Utah’s endowed directorship paves the way to build upon the legacy of its namesake
WORDS BY AUTUMN THATCHER
Jason Cryan, PhD, had known of Natural History Museum of Utah’s (NHMU) former executive director, Sarah George, PhD, long before he became her successor.
Dr. George is a big deal on the museum circuit, celebrated for nearly 30 years of exceptional leadership in elevating NHMU and helping it achieve global recognition. So, when Dr. Cryan accepted the position as NHMU’s executive director, he knew he had big shoes to fill.
“Sarah is a very highly respected leader in the museum sector nationally,” Dr. Cryan said. “She and her team visioned and then built this gorgeous, award-winning Natural History Museum. She’d had some major accomplishments and visibility in her museum career.”
In March 2022, two years into his role, Dr. Cryan had the unique opportunity to celebrate Dr. George’s achievements alongside University of Utah President Taylor Randall and longtime museum supporter
Jennifer Speers as they announced a new gift to NHMU: the Dr. Sarah B. George Endowed Directorship. It was a special moment made possible by the generosity of Speers, who committed a gift of $5 million paid out over several years to endow the executive director position in Dr. George’s honor.
The remarkable gift of the endowed directorship permanently endows the NHMU executive director position and helps to advance the scientific and educational work of the museum in perpetuity.
“This endowed position is relatively unusual in the sense that it was a donor who wanted to create this endowment not in their name, but rather in honor of somebody else,” Dr. Cryan explained. “The fact that the honoree was the previous director who had been here for nearly three decades made it very special.”
Following the gift announcement, Dr. Cryan became the first holder of the Dr. Sarah B. George Endowed
Directorship at the Natural History Museum of Utah. Dr. George is a name he is proud to bear.
“Because the position I occupy right now is named to honor the previous director, it creates an emotional connection,” Dr. Cryan said. “It ties this position more to the history of the organization—and that’s a pretty special thing.”
“An endowment is an important thing for a nonprofit organization because it is a forever gift.”
As Dr. Cryan celebrates five years in his position, he remains passionate about moving the successes of his predecessor forward while continuing to elevate the NHMU as a leader in the museum sector. It’s a commitment driven by the desire to make science accessible, approachable, and appealing to the masses—a north star throughout his professional journey.
A scientist by training, Dr. Cryan has spent decades working in museums. He completed his graduate and postdoctoral work in the study of insects—interacting with some of the world’s largest bugs along the way. After completing his doctorate, Dr. Cryan began his first professional job as a research scientist running the genetics lab at the New York State Museum in Albany, New York.
“That’s really where I fell in love with museums as a ready infrastructure to connect with a science-curious public,” Dr. Cryan said. “Everything about museums—the exhibits, public programming, and outreach—resonated with my deep interest in communicating science to the public.”
After working as an active scientist for over a decade, Dr. Cryan determined that he wanted to do more to move
the needle in public science communication by adding administrative work to his portfolio. He moved to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in 2012, where he served in dual roles as the deputy director of the museum and, separately, the director of research and collections.
“I really enjoyed that—and found my niche,” Dr. Cryan said. “I was still in the museum setting—still a scientist—but I was now advocating not just for myself, but for a team of scientists doing amazing things, making sure they had what they needed to do their work.”
Dr. Cryan served at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for eight years, until he learned that Dr. George had moved on from her position at NHMU to lead development for University of Utah Advancement.
In his role, Jason Cryan, PhD, advocates for a team of over 200 employees and volunteers to help bring science to the public.
“When the opportunity came open to come to this museum and to come to Utah, I jumped at it,” Dr. Cryan said. “In my role here, of course, I have less time to be an actual scientist, but I have a greater opportunity to advocate for a larger team of really amazing folks here at the museum.”
As executive director of the museum, Dr. Cryan wears many hats. On the administrative side, he collaborates with his leadership team to set the vision for the museum—where it’s going to be in the future and what they will emphasize and prioritize. He helps set the culture and works as his team’s biggest cheerleader.
“I help make sure that this phenomenal team of very professional museum folks have what they need to excel at their positions,” Dr. Cryan explained. “I’m helping to promote them and the reputation of this museum—and I do that in a variety of ways, but it’s my job to represent the museum and make sure that its reputation, both nationally and internationally, grows stronger and stronger.”
Dr. Cryan—and his eventual successors—can do this work in a position that is permanently endowed, which has significant impact on the museum now and in the future. It’s one less area of the museum that needs fundraised for, which, Dr. Cryan said, relieves a bit of pressure. And it allows him to stay laser focused on his commitments to the museum while building upon the legacy of his position’s namesake “An endowment is an important thing for a nonprofit organization because it is a forever gift,” Dr. Cryan explained. “That’s why my endowed position is so important—and other endowments that we have here at the museum—it’s something that allows us to advance our priorities, advance our vision, and advance our organization’s mission every year. Having a gift that will return annual dividends is something that we all aspire to.”
Sarah B. George, PhD, spent nearly 30 years leading the Natural History Museum of Utah, helping the museum become an international leader in the museum sector.
FAMILIES FIRST
Endowed chair in College of Nursing helps families through palliative and end-of-life care initiatives
WORDS BY AUDREY MAYNARD
Lynn Reinke, PhD, ANP-BC, FAAN, FPCN, ATSF, has never thought of herself as an entrepreneur, but in her role as the Claire Dumke Ryberg, RN, Presidential Endowed Chair in Endof-Life and Palliative Care in the College of Nursing , she’s discovering she’s exactly that.
“I feel like we are running a shop here that has so much potential to impact our patients and their families and caregivers throughout the state,” Dr. Reinke said.
In 2022, Dr. Reinke became the inaugural chair for the Claire Dumke Ryberg, RN, Presidential Endowed Chair in End-of-Life and Palliative Care in the College of Nursing. The presidential chair was established in 2017 in honor of alumna Claire Dumke Ryberg, RN, who received her BSN from the University of Utah College of Nursing in 1977.
Since her appointment, Dr. Reinke has been spearheading the College of Nursing’s palliative care priorities, building the pipeline of end-of-life care clinicians and researchers, as well as influencing health policies and advancing our understanding of the field. The primary issue that Dr. Reinke and her team are tackling is how to fill the gap in attention that families receive when caring for a family member who is seriously ill or dying.
“We assume a lot when we expect families to give medications and do dressing changes, care a trained nurse would usually provide,” she explained.
“When I’m at the hospital in my clinical role, I see firsthand how necessary it is to expand our research and practice to include not only patients, but their families and caregivers as well.”
Dr. Reinke admits that the toughest part of her job is prioritizing and investing in the ideas that have the potential to make the greatest impact. Yet, she is grateful that the revenue generated through the university’s endowment is fueling many priorities she believes will make a big difference within the community.
“I couldn’t be doing this work without the investment from Claire Dumke Ryberg and her family,” she said. “Their endowment has given me the freedom to go out and build relationships and support projects that improve the quality of life and the quality of dying experiences for patients and their families. Their investment is not only amplifying family care in palliative nursing, but it is increasing educational opportunities and expanding revenues through grants and donor funds to grow our Family Integrated Healthcare Collaborative.”
“Their endowment has given me the freedom to go out and build relationships and support projects that improve the quality of life and the quality of dying experiences for patients and their families.”
As the inaugural director of the College of Nursing’s Family Integrated Healthcare Collaborative, Dr. Reinke is championing a robust set of initiatives that center families and caregivers in training that nurses receive both in the classroom and at the bedside.
One effort she is particularly excited about is led by her colleague Sara Hart, PhD, MSN, who, as part of a national consortium, developed nursing education competencies for identifying and integrating family caregivers into a patient’s care plan. In addition, the College of Nursing has begun collaborating with leaders at University of Utah Health to educate nurses in assessing the needs of families and preparing them to care for their loved ones at home, a step-down facility, or in hospice. Offering family caregivers education, support, and referrals to resources can promote self-care and build resiliency.
“We are really excited about these initiatives because, ultimately, they will improve the quality of care that we deliver to our health care system, reduce readmissions and ER visits, and lead to higher patient and family satisfaction,” Dr. Reinke said.
Another key focus for Dr. Reinke is addressing the lack of workforce in palliative and hospice care in rural communities across the state. She and her colleague Kathie Supiano, PhD ’12,
professor of nursing and director of the college’s Caring Connections: A Hope and Comfort in Grief bereavement care program, are working in partnership with the Utah Community Health Workers Association to help ensure all patients and their families have access to primary palliative care when they need it.
“We’re never going to be able to train enough specialists like myself or those going through a clinical fellowship,” Dr. Reinke said. “But we can train clinicians throughout Utah to strengthen their communication skills, build trust with patients and their families, and understand and explain patient goals of care in the broader family context—this is our ultimate goal and a growing emphasis in the College of Nursing.”
Lynn Reinke, PhD, became the inaugural Claire Dumke Ryberg, RN, Presidential Endowed Chair in End-of-Life and Palliative Care in the College of Nursing in 2022.
CATALYZING DISCOVERY
With the support of an endowed chair, Scott Summers is driving breakthroughs in diabetes treatment
WORDS BY AUDREY MAYNARD
Finding a cure for diabetes has been a lifelong pursuit for Scott Summers, PhD—one that began at the age of 14, when his father was diagnosed with the condition. His father’s diagnosis sparked within him a personal quest to understand the biological mechanisms that contribute to not just the disease but also the complications that can accompany it.
Today, Dr. Summers is a distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology in the College of Health. He’s also co-director of the Utah Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center. In 2021, he was appointed the inaugural William J. Rutter, PhD, Presidential Endowed Chair in Biochemistry, established by the pioneering American biochemist and biotechnology entrepreneur William “Bill” Rutter, MS ʼ50.
“When I was recruited to the university in 2016, I was at the point in my career where leadership opportunities were of interest to me, and I was in a place where I felt I could make a big impact,” Dr. Summers said. “To then be appointed to the Rutter Chair was a huge honor, not only giving me professional recognition but extra resources to test new ideas and go out on a limb a little bit.”
Dr. Summers’s research is advancing the idea that fat molecules called ceramides are key drivers of diabetes and heart disease. In 2007, he published a groundbreaking study showing, for the first time, how lowering ceramides in mice improved all metabolic factors that contribute to diabetes. This discovery led Dr. Summers to co-found Centaurus Therapeutics, a biotechnology company working to bring ceramide-lowering
PHOTOS
Scott Summers, PhD,
the William J. Rutter, PhD, Presidential Endowed Chair in Biochemistry, has been searching for a cure for diabetes since he was 14.
“What better legacy could a person leave than enabling important research on pathways that may significantly affect the aging process?”
medications to the marketplace.
“It was Bill Rutter who was actually a huge help here,” Dr. Summers said. “As a biotech entrepreneur himself, he connected me to the right people—investors and drug development experts—who helped us get this enterprise off the ground.”
Dr. Summers and his team at Centaurus developed a ceramide-lowering drug that will soon enter a phase 1 clinical trial, and they anticipate it could become available for compassionate use for seriously ill patients within a few years.
“This drug has the potential to be truly transformative,” Dr. Summers said. “I think we’ll eventually see clinicians measuring ceramides like they do cholesterol. To then be able to prescribe a drug that could lower people’s risk for diabetes and heart disease—it could save a lot of lives.”
to improve the health and wellbeing of people throughout the world.
“What better legacy could a person leave than enabling important research on pathways that may significantly affect the aging process?” Dr. Rutter said. “That’s what attracted me to the work of Dr. Scott Summers on ceramides. He has become one of the world’s experts on this class of compounds, and his work may lead to therapeutics with multiple indications beneficial to human health and longevity.”
When Dr. Summers reflects on his legacy at the U and within the field of biochemistry, he can’t help but feel humbled by the company he keeps, particularly his benefactor, mentor, and friend.
Scott Summers mentors students in the lab.
As a private philanthropist, Dr. Rutter is grateful to have the opportunity to support basic research that has the potential
“Bill Rutter is a remarkable person who has accomplished so much in his life,” Dr. Summers said. “I can only dream of having a career as impactful as his has been. So, out of all the chairs, to have one with his name on it is pretty amazing.”
RAISING ALL BOATS
Glenn Sjoden, PhD, will retire from his position as the EnergySolutions Foundation Presidential Endowed Chair in Nuclear Engineering after a 40-year career as a military officer, professor, and scientist.
PHOTO
Retiring presidential endowed chair in nuclear engineering leaves legacy built on collaboration, service, and mentorship
WORDS BY AUDREY MAYNARD
Glenn Sjoden, PhD, points to teamwork as the key to his successful 40-year career as a military officer, professor, and scientist.
“I think it’s important to be collegial. It can’t be all about you—it’s about the team,” he explained. “Maybe that’s something that comes from my military roots, but in my role here at the university, I’ve always let my colleagues know that if they have a critical need, I’ll try to make it happen.”
This summer, Dr. Sjoden will retire from his position as the EnergySolutions Foundation Presidential Endowed Chair in Nuclear Engineering and director of the Utah Nuclear Engineering Program in the John and Marcia Price College of Engineering. The chair was established in 2008 by the EnergySolutions Foundation to help address the urgent need for more, well-qualified graduates for the nuclear services industry. The college offers a nuclear engineering minor—the only undergraduate nuclear program in the state and one of fewer than 50 nationwide.
Dr. Sjoden jokingly describes his path to the university as “tortuous, kind of like electrons scattering.” He worked for 20 years as a nuclear officer in the United States Air Force in nonproliferation and engineering research, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 2004. He served as a faculty member in nuclear and radiological engineering at the University of Florida, as well as the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 2014, he was recruited to a chief scientist role at the Air Force Technical Applications Center, where he earned the Presidential Rank Award for his accomplishments as a senior executive in federal service.
“I view that moment as the capstone of my career as a chief scientist but decided after all of that I wanted to go back to academia,” he said. “I kind of missed ‘getting my hands dirty’ teaching.”
At the U, Dr. Sjoden got right to work, focusing his efforts on fully upgrading the university’s nuclear reactor, which is used extensively for research and to produce medical isotopes. He describes the nuclear engineering program as small—currently comprising three full-time faculty—but mighty in its impact on the industry. Funding from the EnergySolutions Foundation Presidential Endowed Chair has been instrumental in his ability to strategically invest in research personnel, project infrastructure, and equipment upgrades.
“We don’t crank out that many nuclear engineering PhDs, but the ones who do graduate go on to work at very key places, including Los Alamos National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories,” he said.
Directing such a small academic program has shaped Dr. Sjoden’s philosophy when determining how to leverage funds to “raise all boats.”
“We really do try to be good stewards of our resources and use them to benefit as many people as possible,” he said. “These funds don’t go into some ubiquitous pot of money; they are used for purposeful projects that make a profound impact on the university and the greater community.”
Upon retirement, Dr. Sjoden looks forward to working a bit less in a consulting role and spending more time with his family—his wife, children, and grandchildren—who have been grounding forces in what has been a demanding, yet illustrious, career. He’s particularly excited to witness the accomplishments of his son and two daughters who have followed in his footsteps as engineers.
“I’ve tried to mentor them to be the best engineers they can be, and my two girls are rock stars,” he said. “They’re doing an awesome job, and I’m very proud to see them carry the torch of engineering forward.”
