Meet the Newest Members of the Kean University Foundation’s Board of Directors

September 20, 2022

Seemingly in the blink of an eye, Summer 2022 has concluded and the new academic year is well underway. This is always a transitional time of year, from the sweltering heat of July and August into cool, crisp evenings which beget hayrides and warm cider. Not unlike cyclical seasonal changes, the Kean University Foundation underwent transitions of its own during the course of the previous year, from welcoming a new Chair mid-year to saying good-bye to members of the Board of Directors who have offered their support, guidance and friendship for many years. Part of this transitional period also includes the continued expansion of the Kean University Foundation’s Board of Directors, a distinguished group of professionals who generously offer their time and expertise in support of the University.

As such, we are pleased to introduce the Board’s two newest members: Kevin Alton ’73 H’07 and Leslie Harwood, both of whom continue the tradition of bringing invaluable knowledge and experience to the Foundation.

Currently retired, Mr. Alton's 30-year tenure at the Schering-Plough Research Institute resulted in over 100 publications, several patents and the prestigious "Discoverers Award," which he received from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association in 2006 following the discovery of the active agent in Zetia, a novel cholesterol absorption inhibitor. His title during the last six years he spent with Schering-Plough was Senior Director and Drug Disposition Expense Center Manager of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics.

While attending Kean University, Mr. Alton was a member of the Sigma Beta Tau Fraternity. He was also involved with Kean’s student government and the University’s newspaper, The Independent, of which he served as Co-Editor-in-Chief. Mr. Alton received an honorary doctorate from Kean University in 2007 and was a recipient of the University’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2013.

An alumnus with strong ties to Kean, he and his wife, Beth, also a Kean alumna, established both the Kevin and Beth Alton Annual Scholarship and the Kevin and Beth Alton Endowed Scholarship in April 2010. When the opportunity to join the Board of Directors presented itself, Mr. Alton did not hesitate. He praised Bill Miller, CEO of the Kean University Foundation, whose guidance was integral during the internal approval process, stating, “I am confident that I can make meaningful contributions to the Kean University Foundation.”

Since 1993, Ms. Harwood has been a Managing Director specializing in tenant representation for Newmark (New York – Midtown), a global commercial real estate organization, where she represents various types of firms in the financial world and nonprofit sector and provides them with expert real estate services based on her more than 35 years of experience. In addition to her leasing and sales experience, Ms. Harwood has developed two million square feet of residential housing and retail in the New York metropolitan area and has led the redevelopment of one million square feet in downtown Jersey City.

She has also been the recipient of numerous professional accolades, including the Emma Lazarus Award for “Dynamic Women in Business” from the Associated Builders & Owners of Greater New York and being named the Young Men’s/Women’s Real Estate Association’s (of which she is a member and former chair) 2017 Senior Professional of the year for her commitment to the real estate industry.

Some may recognize Ms. Harwood’s reputable surname – and rightfully so! She is the daughter of Lowell and Toby Harwood, generous benefactors whose long-standing support of Kean University includes the establishment of The Harwood Endowed Scholarship Fund and The Harwood Endowment Fund, respectively. Harwood Arena, located on Kean University’s main campus in Union, New Jersey, is named in recognition of Lowell and Toby’s many contributions. Like her parents, Ms. Harwood has a philanthropic spirit and she is looking forward to adding her involvement with the Kean University Foundation to the impressive list of charitable organizations she supports. “My father was passionate about education, about making education available, and that it was the path to make a difference in the world,” she said. “And my family has continued his legacy at Kean. He taught not only me and my brother, but our entire family the power of giving back.”

For more information about the Kean University Foundation’s Board of Directors, please visit https://www.keanfoundation.org/foundation/board.