Building Expertise
LeChase is pleased to welcome Dr. John M. Anderson as higher education market leader for the firm. In this role, Anderson will work as part of the LeChase team to offer insight on emerging trends in higher education construction and five his perspective, as a recent college president, on the most critical needs facing today’s education leaders.
Prior to joining LeChase as its Higher Education Market Leader, Dr. John Anderson had a distinguished 34-year career as a professor and senior administrator in various public and private colleges and universities. His many New York posts include five years as president of Alfred State College – the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Technology (Alfred, N.Y.) and almost four years as Executive Vice President and Provost of Hartwick College (Oneonta, N.Y.). Most recently he served as president of Millersville University of Pennsylvania, a public university southeast of Harrisburg, P.A.
As a leader in higher education, Anderson developed and demonstrated expertise in strategic planning, sustainability, civic engagement and oversight of capital projects in excess of $275 million. One notable example is the Lombardo Welcome Center, a net-zero energy building that opened on the Millersville campus in February 2018. A long-time champion for sustainability, Anderson lobbied to form – and later chaired – the Sustainability Development Committee of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.
“John has a deep understanding of the higher education market, built from decades of experience as an educator, administrator and sustainability advocate on a variety of campuses,” said Bill Goodrich, LeChase CEO and managing partner. “Having worked with John as a client for many years, we are excited to now have him on-board as a resource to our team. His first-hand perspective will enhance our ability to anticipate market needs and find new ways to add value for our clients in higher education.”
Anderson has a Ph.D. in education from Cornell University, an M.A. in physics from SUNY Geneseo, a B.A. in physics from SUNY Brockport and an A.S. in math from Westchester Community College. He also received post-graduate education at Harvard University. Active in the community, he has served on the board of various groups, including regional healthcare provider Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health and Springbrook NY, Inc. – a not-for-profit organization supporting children and adults with developmental disabilities.
Featured Projects
- Zero Energy Building
- Generates about 190,000 kilowatt hours of renewable energy annually
- 60% more efficient than other campus buildings through natural lighting, insulation and energy efficient equipment
- Expansive 69,000 SF gathering area
- $26 million project value
- Designed with students and staff in mind
- Activity spaces include a climbing wall and ropes course
- The center houses the campus radio station, bookstore and cafe
- LEED Gold Certified
- Eight dorms totaling 600,000 SF
- $180 million project value
- 2,000 rooms ranging from suites with shared bedrooms for freshmen to suites with private bedrooms, a living room and kitchenette
- New 350-space parking lot