DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDS
J. Bonnie Newman '69g
To J. Bonnie Newman for her dedication
to serving the citizens of New Hampshire
and the United States through her work in
government, education, and business.
Bonnie Newman came close to adding
United States senator to her impressive
résumé. In February, New Hampshire
Governor John Lynch selected Newman
to replace Senator Judd Gregg (R-N.H.)
who had been nominated to become secretary of commerce by President Barack
Obama. But a week later, Gregg decided
to stay in the Senate. Newman laughs
recalling her “15 minutes of fame” before
saying, "It was a tremendous honor to be
approached by Governor Lynch for this
appointment, and it undoubtedly would
have been an extraordinary experience to
serve in the U.S. Senate. It was, however,
not meant to be."
Newman first went to Washington, D.C.,
in 1981 as chief of staff for thenCongressman Gregg. A year later, she was
in the White House, serving as associate
director of presidential personnel under
President Ronald Reagan. President Reagan
nominated her for assistant secretary of
commerce for economic development
and the U.S. Senate
confirmed her appointment in February
1984. Later, Newman would return to
Washington to serve as assistant to the
president for management and administration under President George H. W.
Bush. She compares that job, which
oversees everything from facilities to
security to personnel, to being “the chief
operating officer of the White House.”
Some of Newman's other high-profile
positions include serving as interim
president of the University of New
Hampshire (2006-07), executive dean at
the Harvard John F. Kennedy School of
Government (2000-05), and interim dean
of the Whittemore School of Business
and Economics at the University of New
Hampshire (1998-99).
Newman also has worked in business and
business development throughout her
career. She served as executive director of
the Forum on New Hampshire's Future
(1978-80) and later as president of the
Business and Industry Association of New
Hampshire (1985-88) and president of the
New England Council Inc. Newman founded the Coastal Broadcasting Corp.,
licensee of WZEA-FM radio, and was
executive vice president with the Exeter
Trust Company. She has also served as a
director on numerous corporate and
non-profit boards. Currently, Newman
is a director of the Lumina Foundation,
FairPoint Communications, Exeter Trust
Co., and Gilbane Inc. Among many past
appointments, she is former chairman of
the U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors,
former vice chair of the New Hampshire
Charitable Foundations, and former
member of the Ladies Professional Golf
Association (LPGA) Commissioner's
Advisory Council.
“I never thought I would have such an
eclectic career,” Newman says. “When I
finished my master's degree at Penn State,
my goal was to be a dean of students.”
Her first job out of graduate school was
as assistant dean of students at the
University of New Hampshire. She was 25,
and it was the height of student protests
over the Vietnam War. By age 26, she was
dean of students at UNH.
Newman's first experience with politics
was during then-governor of California
Reagan's campaign for the presidency.
Politics, business, and higher education
would dominate Newman's life for the
next 20 years. “I've been fortunate to have
some extraordinary experiences,” she says,
“from working on Capitol Hill to working
in the White House and with some of the
nation's finest public figures.”
Newman's work has been recognized with
the University of New Hampshire's Granite
State Award for distinguished public
service, the Public Relations Society of
America’s Yankee Award for outstanding
accomplishment as a public relations professional, and the Business and Industry
Association of New Hampshire's Lifetime
Achievement Award for professional,
community, and statewide leadership,
among others.
Newman earned her bachelor's degree at
St. Joseph's College of Maine and has
been awarded five honorary degrees.
Penn State previously honored Newman
with the Alumni Fellow Award in 2005. A
native New Englander and avid golfer,
Newman lives in Portsmouth, N.H.