Blog Post

Now more than ever, effective leaders must be in place to position SCUP for its place in our new world. 

It is my pleasure to announce the SCUP community’s election of two new members and one returning member to the SCUP Board of Directors. They were elected by the association’s membership for a three-year term starting in July 2020. They will join SCUP’s board members in leading the organization’s strategic direction, helping SCUP members unleash the promise and potential of higher education. 

We’re excited to welcome Rich Michal, vice president and chief facilities officer at the Purdue Research Foundation. Rich has been a SCUP member for nearly 10 years and has served as both a member of and chair of the North Central Regional Council and North Central Regional Conference Planning Committee. 

At the Purdue Research Foundation, he is responsible for the foundation’s five research parks, $46 million in residential real estate, and the development of the university’s 400-acre Discovery Park District – a $1.2 billion mixed-use comprehensive redevelopment of the west end of Purdue’s West Lafayette campus. Prior to joining PRF, Michal was the AVP of facilities at Butler University. He has an undergraduate degree from Purdue University’s School of Engineering in construction management engineering, a master’s in business administration in finance from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, and a bachelor’s and master’s in architecture from the University of Arizona College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. Michal is a licensed professional engineer and a LEED-accredited professional. He has 30 years of professional experience in construction management, utility regulation, consulting, and teaching. Michal also serves on the boards of the Orchard School and the Indiana Construction Roundtable.

Jack Nye, vice president of Whitman, Requardt & Associates in Baltimore will also join the board. A 20+ year SCUP member, Jack has served as a member of the SCUP Mid-Atlantic Regional Council and as a member of the SCUP Campus Planning Academy. 

Prior to joining his current firm, Nye worked 18 years at Towson University serving in the capacity of director of facilities management. During that time, he was responsible for managing and developing facilities at the main campus and off-site locations. During his tenure, he oversaw the planning, budgeting and implementation of more than $650 million of new and renovated facilities in support of institutional mission and strategic growth objectives in a highly political environment. A portion of his portfolio at Towson includes the delivery of more than 200,000 square feet of residential and academic/support space through public/private partnerships.

Margaret (Peggy) Plympton currently serves as the secretary for SCUP’s board of directors and will now extend her term and move to the treasurer’s role. She is a graduate of and facilitator for SCUP’s Planning Institute. She is currently a principal at  AGB Search and has most recently served in a similar capacity at another global search firm. Earlier in her career she served as Deputy Chair and Acting Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Prior to her time at NEH, Dr. Plympton was a consultant at the executive search firm Witt/Kieffer within its higher education and non-profit practice. 

Peggy’s higher education background is extensive as she served for thirteen years as the vice president for finance and administration at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA,  vice president for finance and administration at Bucknell University, and held administrative and finance roles at Yale University, Wellesley College, and Harvard University. She is a past president of the Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers (EACUBO). She is a recipient of a Fulbright Specialist assignment and a former board member of EDUCAUSE and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO)

We’re delighted to welcome Rich and Jack to the board and are thankful for Peggy’s continued service. These three are exceptional leaders and strategic thinkers who are sure to serve SCUP well. 

SCUP – Where Planning Comes Together