Aldrich Confirmed as New APPA Board Vice Chair

Robert J. “Bobby” Aldrich was ratified in a vote held this week by APPA primary representatives as the new Vice Chair of APPA’s Board of Directors.

Aldrich will replace Margaret Tennessen from the University of Wisconsin-Madison who joined the APPA Board in 2020 and has served as Vice Chair since 2021. He will serve a two-year term from 2024 to 2026.

“I am delighted by the election of Bobby Aldrich to the position of Vice Chair on the APPA Board of Directors,” said outgoing Vice Chair Tennessen, who also serves APPA’s Board of Directors as the head of the Nominating Committee. “Bobby stood out among a very well-qualified group of applicants for his enthusiasm and passion—both for APPA and our profession. It was a difficult decision given the caliber of the applicant pool, but Bobby impressed us with his extensive experience with APPA’s programs, his innovative ideas for increasing engagement among both new and existing members, and his excitement for the vision that the new APPA President and CEO Lalit Agarwal has articulated for our association. I know that Bobby will be a fantastic addition to the Board of Directors and Executive Committee, and I am happy to pass the torch to him at this pivotal moment in APPA’s history.”

“I also want to thank the other APPA Board members who comprised the Nominating Committee for their thoughtful work with the selection process. These included David Smith from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and SRAPPA Regional Director, Eric Johnson from the University of Southern California and PCAPPA Regional Director, and Angela Meyer from Southeast Missouri State University and CAPPA Regional Director. Their commitment to reviewing the application materials, interviewing the candidates, and carefully weighing the merits of each candidate resulted in a thoughtful recommendation to the Board of Directors.”

Aldrich has been employed since July 2021 as the director of operations and campus planning at Hackley School in Tarrytown, New York. He previously served in a similar role for 10 years at Miss Hall’s School in the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts and before that as programs and accreditation manager for the Office of Campus Safety at Phillips Exeter Academy. Prior to his educational career, Aldrich served as the appointed chief of police for the Town of South Hampton, New Hampshire.

He has been an active APPA member throughout his education career. He served as an elected board member of the Southern New England chapter and volunteered for the professional development committees at the regional and national levels. He participated in and contributed to several Thought Leaders Series workshops and is an evaluator for the Facilities Management Evaluation Program (FMEP) and APPA Advisors.

To learn more about the Vice Chair selection process, please click here.