Distinguished Service Alumni Award Recipient
Melvin Howard ’57
Melvin Howard ’57 has had an impressive 40-year career leading some of the nation's top business firms. Prior to his retirement, he was a financial executive at the Ford Motor Company in the 1960s, chief financial officer of Xerox Corporation in the 1970s, and vice chairman of Xerox and chief executive officer of Xerox Financial Services in the 1980s.
Howard has always maintained a close relationship with UMass Amherst over the years and been a tireless supporter and advocate of the flagship campus. He was one of the original founders of the UMass Amherst Commonwealth College, meeting with the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and spearheading efforts to gain additional support for the proposal along the way. He has since served as the chairman of the Commonwealth College Advisory Board for the past twelve years and will participate in its 10th anniversary celebration of educating high-achieving students at UMass Amherst.
In addition, Howard has served on the UMass Amherst Foundation Board of Directors since 2003 and has created the Melvin Howard Scholarship Endowment. He was awarded the Chancellor’s Medal in 1999.
Howard studied economics while at UMass Amherst and went on to earn a master’s in business administration from Columbia University. He has served on the board of numerous public corporations, as well as charitable organizations, and was a member of President Ronald Reagan’s Disarmament Commission.