The fifth floor of the Troy Building is organized like a modern-day business office, with cubicles cordoned off by sleek, stylish dividers and a high-ceiling to give it an airy feel. The finance division of the Institute is immediately recognized as the main center for campus business. Although I had originally expected to be led into a traditional office like those I have seen belonging to other cabinet officers, the office of Virginia Gregg, vice president of finance, was actually a larger cubicle in the back of one of the areas, keeping her in direct contact with other members of the office. I took a seat at a small table to the side of her office, and we began the interview after some informal conversation.

Born in New Jersey, her family moved often because of her father’s job in an oil company. “My family is from the Midwest. That’s where I did most of my undergraduate work,” she remarked. Ms. Gregg majored in English literature and became a sister of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority at Northwestern University. Three years into her degree, she went to work for a law firm in upstate New York and completed her degree at the University at Albany. Despite her passion for English and the arts, she decided to pursue a career in the direction of her strengths in mathematics. She completing a masters degree in accounting, also at the University at Albany.

After completing her degree, Gregg went on to work for Ernst and Whiney (now Ernst and Young) during the mid-70s. “It was a really good experience. I was a few years older than some of the other people just starting [because of my master’s degree],” she stated. It was around that time that she had her first child and decided that going into private industry would better suit her goals. Gregg was familiar with Rensselaer’s CFO at the time and had been on the RPI audit that her firm had done. She was hired in 1983 as the director of internal audit.

“My role and responsibilities at Rensselaer have changed every three to five years, and the university has changed as well. So it has been like moving on to a new institution every three to five years. This is a fascinating place to work,” said Gregg. After working in internal audit, she worked as associate controller and then as con-

troller for a ten-year period before being named vice president for finance by then Institute President R. Byron Pipes.

Since I was speaking with the chief financial officer of Rensselaer, I decided to ask the identity of the $360 million donor. She declined to supply the name. “It is an act of extraordinary generosity, especially wanting it to stay so anonymous . . . to have a gift of that size be totally unrestricted is mind-boggling,” said Gregg. “It has facilitated the president’s ability to effect her vision faster.”

Gregg’s advice to students is to make the most of your opportunity. “This is a wonderful place to get an education right now. Technology is where the future is going to be. Balance and get the most of all the opportunities that RPI offers because I think it offers a lot. Get involved,” said Gregg.

Outside of her work, she is actively involved with the community. She serves in a variety of positions in the Loudonville Presbyterian Church and in several professional organizations for business officers of colleges and universities. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her three children, reading, and skiing (she lived in Colorado for part of the year). She also loves animals and owns a labrador. Gregg can be reached at greggv@rpi.edu.