Below is a message from Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer Helen Bowman:
I am pleased to announce that Distinguished Teaching Professor and Lindy Fellow Alan Greenberger, who currently leads the Department of Architecture, Design & Urbanism in the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, has been appointed as the new Vice President of Real Estate and Facilities, effective March 15, 2021. Alan brings over four decades of experience in architecture, city planning, economic development and academia to this important role leading the University's planning, design and construction, plant operations, environmental health and safety, real estate, space management, and transportation services.
Since joining Drexel as a full-time faculty member in spring 2016, Alan has overseen the expansion of legacy programs in architecture and interior design as well as the creation of new graduate programs in research and urban strategy. Alan also serves on Drexel's Design Review Task Force, the Return Oversight Committee, and President Fry's Neighborhood Campus Development Group. Since Donald Moore's departure last year, Alan has been managing Drexel's critical external real estate and development-related partnerships.
Before coming to Drexel, Alan served in former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter's administration as Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Director of Commerce, as well as executive director and then chair of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. Under Alan's leadership, the city rewrote the Philadelphia Zoning Code and initiated a five-year long comprehensive plan, entitled Philadelphia 2035. Both initiatives were the first of their kind for the city in over 50 years, receiving the American Planning Association's National Excellence Award for a City Planning Agency in 2016. Alan's office also launched multiple programs to attract and support a burgeoning entrepreneurial community, attracted new, technology and venture capital firms to Philadelphia, and expanded business opportunities for small, minority- and women-owned businesses throughout the city. In recognition of his efforts on behalf of Philadelphia, the American Institute of Architects honored Alan with its 2017 Thomas Jefferson Award for Public Architecture.
For 34 years prior to joining the Nutter administration, Alan was a practicing architect with Mitchell/Giurgola Architects and its successor, MGA Partners, where he was the design lead on many award-winning projects at institutions of higher learning.
I want to thank Senior Vice President for Student Success Subir Sahu for chairing the search committee, as well as the other search committee members for their time and thoughtful consideration of the candidates for this role.
Please join me in congratulating Alan on his appointment.