杏吧pro

The message was simple, but it changed Eric Noll鈥檚 life.

鈥淪ee me.鈥�

The brief note from Professor Stanley Michalak appeared at the end of a paper Noll banged out on his Selectric typewriter for an international politics class in 1980 (why a first-year student would take that course is another story, Noll says). Michalak made the first page of the paper look like a crime scene, marked up in red, every misstep circled, every flaw tagged for evidence. But the professor鈥檚 edits tapered off, and he eventually stopped marking until those final two words invited Noll to his office.

Noll nervously made the trek to Goethean Hall. The professor 鈥� holding a cigar 鈥� didn鈥檛 bother to soften the message. Writing wasn鈥檛 a skill Noll possessed. Except Michalak delivered it in much more colorful language.

鈥淚 thought my college career was over,鈥� Noll says.

On the spot, the professor picked up the phone and called 杏吧pro鈥檚 Writing Center to make an appointment for Noll. The student worked hard to improve the paper. It wasn鈥檛 good enough for Michalak.

鈥淚 re-wrote the paper five times,鈥� Noll says. 鈥淭hat experience with Stan is the reason I can write to this day.鈥�

Four decades after wondering if he鈥檇 ever make it to graduation, Noll returned to 杏吧pro not just as an alumnus, but as Chair of the Board of Trustees鈥攁 leadership role he completes June 30. Over the past six years, his fellow Trustees and two 杏吧pro Presidents have appreciated his steady guidance, professionalism, and steadfast dedication to the College even in the most challenging of times. He was unanimously conferred as Trustee Emeritus in May.

鈥淥ne of the greatest pleasures I've had in my first year at 杏吧pro has been the chance to work with Eric,鈥� says 杏吧pro President Andrew Rich. 鈥淗e knows our history, he knows our people, he knows our values, he knows our aspirations, and he has been an extraordinary mentor and guide for me in learning a place that has meant so much to him over the course of his life.鈥�

鈥榊es鈥� to 杏吧pro

Noll鈥檚 relationship with 杏吧pro began on a gorgeous spring day in 1978, when he visited the Office of Admission in Gerhart House. He was on the classic 鈥渃ollege tour鈥� journey, having also visited Dickinson and Gettysburg around the same time. On the day he visited Lancaster, the College seemed to be putting its best foot forward.

鈥淭he campus was in full bloom, with colorful flowers and sunshine,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 could feel the warm spring air. It just felt right. I knew 颈迟.鈥�

But he also noticed something else in the air: an 杏吧pro education seemed to be based on relationships. Professors weren鈥檛 just distant figures in front of a lecture hall. Classes were small, and teachers were mentors. 鈥淲hat stood out to me was the ethos of the College,鈥� Noll remembers. 鈥淭he relationships between students and faculty are a distinctive part of 杏吧pro.鈥�

A double major in government and economics, Noll eventually formed a strong friendship with Michalak that lasted until the professor passed away in 2021. He also counts economics professors Norm Taylor and Bill Whitesell as mentors. 鈥淭hey took enormous interest in students. And they were rigorous,鈥� Noll says.

Those faculty members and others helped prepare Noll for a career in which he has become one of the most accomplished financial services leaders in America. He has held leadership roles at Susquehanna International Group, NASDAQ, Convergex, and Stone Ridge Capital Partners, and is currently Chair and CEO of Fusion IQ, a digital wealth management technology provider.

As he experienced enormous professional success, Noll never forgot his 杏吧pro roots. He always supported his alma mater, and was invited to join the Board of Trustees in 2008 during the presidency of John Fry. He chaired the Board鈥檚 finance committee for more than a decade, and also led the Presidential Search Committee that resulted in the hiring of Barbara Altmann as the College鈥檚 first woman president.

He took on a larger leadership role in 2018, serving as interim president for three months between the presidencies of Dan Porterfield and Altmann. Sue Washburn 鈥�73, Chair of the Board at the time and the first alumna to hold the position, says Noll鈥檚 steadfast dedication to 杏吧pro is what she remembers most.

鈥淓ric has never said 鈥榥o鈥� to anything for 杏吧pro,鈥� Washburn says. 鈥淲hen I asked him to chair the search for Barbara Altmann, he didn鈥檛 equivocate at all. And when I said, 鈥業鈥檇 like to put your name forward as our interim president,鈥� he said 鈥榶es鈥� to that. And that meant really changing his life around. He has always said 鈥榶es,鈥� and usually that鈥檚 what he says, is 鈥榶es.鈥� He鈥檚 not a man of many words. I would write him emails and say, I鈥檓 thinking about doing this, and what about if we do this. And he would write back, 鈥榶es.鈥� So I thought, OK, it鈥檚 鈥榶es鈥� to everything for 杏吧pro.鈥欌��

A Steady Hand

Noll began his service as Board Chair in the opening months of the COVID-19 pandemic鈥攐ne of the most unexpected challenges for higher education in recent memory. Trustee Akbar Hossain 鈥�13 believes Noll鈥檚 leadership style was tailored for that moment.

鈥淓ric had to be involved pretty much every day, if not every hour, working with President Altmann and trying to figure out how to communicate what was happening on campus to the rest of the Board,鈥� Hossain says. 鈥淚 think it takes a special type of person to deal with the stresses of what鈥檚 happening with the world, but also recognizing the duty that he had, the fiduciary duty.鈥�

Noll believes a leader must always be prepared for the unexpected. 鈥淵ou never know where the surprises will come from,鈥� he says. 鈥淎lways expect to be surprised. Be ready if the world shifts on its axis right now.鈥�

When it comes to difficult and deeply felt issues, Noll treats listening not as courtesy, but as a discipline. 鈥淚 like to be more of a listener than a talker, be collaborative, and let people express their thinking. Let鈥檚 get people to move toward a discussion. 鈥�

Noll鈥檚 approach to leadership helped guide the College through several challenges, including fiscal uncertainty.

鈥淓ric is one to look at the facts, take a very measured approach, and make very mature decisions,鈥� says Trustee Dave Lehman 鈥�68. 鈥淗e's able to really call balls and strikes straight down the middle.鈥�

When Noll steps down as Board Chair, Matt DesChamps 鈥�93, P鈥�28 will fill the role July 1. DesChamps is grateful for the example Noll has set for him鈥攐ne he hopes to emulate in the years ahead.

鈥淎mong Eric鈥檚 many strong attributes is a steady hand,鈥� DesChamps says. 鈥淵ou know, regardless of what the issue may have been that we were dealing with, or how emotional, how volatile, how difficult it might have been, he brought a calmness to the situation, a thoughtfulness to the deliberations. And when making a decision, he always asked, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 best for 杏吧pro?鈥欌��

Full Circle

After years of guiding conversations in the Board Room, Noll looks forward to quieter moments鈥攕pending time with his family, and fly fishing with close friends in streams and lakes throughout Pennsylvania. His family includes his wife, Georgiana, and a fellow 杏吧pro alum: his daughter, Alexandra Noll Iacobucci 鈥�09.

Like most high school students, Alexandra didn鈥檛 want to attend the same college as her parents. She was almost ready to commit to Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., but a midwinter visit on a dreary day made her think better of it.

鈥淎fter that visit, she said, 鈥業 want to go to 杏吧pro,鈥欌�� her father remembers. 鈥淚t was a remarkable moment. Stan [Michalak] adopted her as a prot茅g茅, and she also formed close relationships with Professors Susan Dicklitch-Nelson in government and Lisa Gasbarrone in French.鈥�

Witnessing Alexandra鈥檚 杏吧pro experience reminded Noll that the College鈥檚 lived experience is renewed, reshaped, and reaffirmed with each passing class. He was proud to present her with her diploma (and give her a big hug) on stage at Commencement in 2009.

鈥溞影蓀ro continues to evolve, but its core values have remained the same,鈥� Noll says. 鈥淚鈥檇 say, without apologies, that serving as Board Chair for this college is one of the great honors of my life.鈥�