Petersen, William E., 1906-1985.

William E. Petersen was born in Brooklyn, New York on September 20, 1906. He attended high school at Erasmus Hall High School. After graduation Petersen served as an officer in the Naval Reserve during World War II.

Petersen attended Columbia College and was active for four years on the student newspaper, "The Spectator." In his last year he served as the papers business manager, and for "The Columbian," the college year book. He was also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, Alpha Kappa Psi, and Phi Sigma Kappa. His allegiance to Columbia University would be life long. In 1957 Petersen was awarded the Alumni Medal for conspicuous alumni service.

After graduation from the Columbia Graduate School of Business (1927), Petersen became associated with the Irving Trust Company (1928), where he advanced through various divisions to become senior vice president in 1957, and president in 1960. He became vice chairman in 1970.

At Columbia he served as Ambassador in the College Development Program (1947-1948), as Class Chairman of the Fourth College Fund (1954-1955), as a member of the Columbia College Council (1961-1965), and as Chairman of the Committee of Budget of the Council (1962-1963). Petersen also served for 10 years on the Standing Committee of the Graduate School of Business, as President of the Alumni Association of the School (1950-1952), general chairman of the Alumni Fund for Student Aid (1960-1962), member of the Advisory Committee (1961-1967), member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Columbia University, Chairman of the Advisory Board for the forum (1961-1962), Chairman of Columbia Business Associates, and Chairman of the Alumni Major Gifts Committee as well as member of the Advanced Gifts Committee for the new Columbia-Community Gymnasium. Petersen was elected an Alumni Trustee of the University and was elected a Life Trustee in 1967 which was followed by his election as Chairman of the Board of Trustees in 1968. He served as Chairman until 1978 when he retired from the Board and became Trustee Emeritus. In 1982 the Board elected him as Chairman Emeritus retroactive to October 1978.

It is during the period that Petersen was elected a Life Trustee of Columbia University that the Columbia Disturbances occurred. They began in early March 1967 when a student activist named Bob Feldman of the Columbia University Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) discovered documents in the International Law Library detailing Columbia's institutional affiliation with the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA). The discovery of the IDA documents touched off numerous demonstrations, ranging from anti-war to race relations. Controversial faculty members were forced to resign or left on their own behalf, most notably the President of Columbia University, Grayson Kirk. William Petersen would play an important role in rebuilding Columbia in the aftermath of the riots, especially in selecting a new president for Columbia University. His documentation of these processes forms the basis of this collection.

Petersen's other achievements include: being elected a member of the board of directors of West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company in September 1967, two terms as President of the Greater New York Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and honorary degrees given by Clarkson University (for which he also served as a trustee).

Petersen passed away in Bronxville, New York, in 1985. He was survived by his wife Sara Louise Snell Petersen and two children, William Hollis Petersen and Sara P. Buell.

From the description of William E. Petersen papers July-August 1968. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 706654302