Purdue official to retire after 36 years of service

By Laura Pelner
Campus Editor

While he's worked for the Purdue Research Foundation, its total assets more than tripled in value, though now he says it's time for him to move on.

Jeffrey Wilson is the senior vice president and treasurer of the research foundation, which controls the Purdue Research Park. On Monday, Wilson announced that he will retire on June 30 after working for Purdue and the research foundation for 36 years.

Wilson and his wife, Sue, bought a house in Florida a couple of years ago and they will move there after June. "While we're still able to enjoy life we're going to move down (to Florida) and do some traveling, reading and visiting with friends. We'll spend time with the family," said Wilson.

Wilson said that he and his wife have gone on trips and seen people that were too old to enjoy them. "We decided that was not going to be us."

Ken Burns, Purdue's executive vice president and treasurer, said that he was surprised when he heard Wilson would retire this year.

"It came as a surprise to me although I knew he was certainly approaching the time when retirement would be an active thought," said Burns.

"(Wilson) will be missed by all of us who have worked closely with him through the years," said Burns. "Jeff is a very competent manager of a significant set of assets that in his wise use and decision have benefited the university in many ways."

When he leaves, Wilson will also miss something — the students he's worked with. "I'll miss the students. I've always enjoyed the interaction with students on committees, and I was an adviser to a cooperative house for a few years," said Wilson. "(The students) keep you young. It was always fun to work for a place that had youth and invigoration."

Wilson came to Purdue in 1965 and was named the senior vice president and treasurer in 1994. In a release from the University News Service Wilson said, "When I became treasurer I had two main goals I wanted to see through: to build the foundation's base of capital and to ensure that Purdue had the room it needed to grow."

President Martin Jischke and the board of directors for the research foundation will be involved in searching for a replacement for Wilson, though Wilson is not worried about leaving.

"I have an excellent staff here. I feel that I can leave and they have the skills and dedication to carry forward. I'm not concerned about leaving or what will happen when I leave."

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Campus editor: Laura Pelner

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