John J. Mather was a public servant who held a number of positions with the State University of New York (SUNY) Central Administration. Born in 1922 in Rolfe, Iowa, Mather joined the staff of the SUNY system during the mid-1960s. Mather began his career at SUNY as one of several assistants to the Chancellor. During the late 1960s, he was involved in documenting student unrest in the SUNY system. In 1971, he became Executive Assistant to the Chancellor. In this position he helped establish the Empire State Youth Theatre Institute, organized a student exchange program with Russia, oversaw a study of the economic impact of the SUNY system, and served as the Chancellor's representative during the conversion of the Delaware & Hudson Building in downtown Albany into a headquarters for SUNY Central. In 1978, Mather became Associate Chancellor for Continuing Education and Public Service, a position he would hold until 1984. During this time he oversaw the development of the New York Network, SUNY's public television studio. In 1984, Mather became the Administrator of the SUNY System Business Development Services Office, where he created and oversaw programs in which SUNY collaborated with the private sector to encourage economic development in New York State. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) assisted small business owners, while the SUNY Business and Industry Centers assisted businesses of all sizes, including larger firms looking to expand operations in New York. The Export New York program, meanwhile, encouraged New York businesses to export outside the United States. After retiring from the SUNY system in 1990, Mather became the president of Rolfe, Inc., a private consultancy which established trade links between America and Europe. In the mid-1990s Mather was active in a campaign to prevent Governor Pataki from cutting the SUNY budget. He died in 2000.
From the description of John J. Mather papers, 1965-1996. (University at Albany). WorldCat record id: 426032272
