{"id":57718,"date":"2025-09-05T11:13:43","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T15:13:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/?p=57718"},"modified":"2025-09-08T13:13:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T17:13:52","slug":"meet-smalling-trustee-chair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/meet-smalling-trustee-chair\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the New Chair of the University’s Board of Trustees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The first woman in the post, Anne Meinig Smalling \u201987 has a lifelong love of Cornell\u2014where \u2018we really want to do the greatest good\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Beth Saulnier<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Anne Meinig Smalling \u201987 is a third-generation Cornellian, she didn\u2019t visit Ithaca until she was looking at colleges; she\u2019d largely grown up in Mexico City, where her family moved for her father\u2019s career when she was six months old. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

But even if she\u2019d never physically been far above Cayuga\u2019s waters, her grandfather\u2014Carl Meinig \u201931\u2014had always nudged her in that direction.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe was a rabid Cornellian,\u201d Smalling recalls with a fond laugh.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor him, it was very clear that it was the only university you should attend. And he said that to me frequently.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly a century after her grandfather matriculated on the Hill, Smalling <\/em>assumed a role<\/em><\/a> that would doubtless have made him burst with Big Red pride: chair of the University\u2019s Board of Trustees.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Carl
the Cornellian<\/em> <\/figcaption>
Carl Meinig in the 1931 yearbook. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smalling\u2019s election made her the first woman ever to hold the position\u2014but the second member of her family to do so. Her father, <\/em>Peter Meinig \u201961, BME \u201962<\/em><\/a>, served as chair from 2002\u201311.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Her mother, Nancy Schlegel Meinig \u201962, is also an alum. Other Cornellian relatives include sister Kathryn Meinig Geib, MBA \u201993; daughter Sami Smalling \u201920, MEng \u201921; and nephew Jaxon Snipes \u201921, BA \u201922.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Peter
cornell university<\/figcaption>
Peter and Nancy Meinig.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\n

Smalling is CEO and managing partner of HM International, a privately owned manufacturing and management company headquartered in Austin, TX. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the Hill, she majored in human development in the College of Human Ecology and captained the varsity tennis team, on which she played for four years.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In August, Smalling chatted with <\/em>Cornellians about her family\u2019s Big Red legacy, how she envisions her role as chair, the joys of being a Cornell parent, and more.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

First off, we at Cornellians<\/em> love nothing better than a Big Red love story. Could you share the tale of your parents\u2019 romance?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They actually met when my mom was an eighth-grader and my dad was a freshman in high school. They went to different schools and met at a dance\u2014and afterward, she said she\u2019d met the man she was going to marry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My dad then went to Cornell, and my mother followed. Actually, I think they dated a bit toward the end of high school; you got different stories from Mom than from Dad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Peter
the Cornellian<\/em> <\/figcaption>
Smalling’s parents are front and center in this group shot from a Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) event in spring 1961.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

But once they were both on campus, they really started dating\u2014though there are stories of my mom coming through the front door of the sorority house after a date with my dad, and leaving through the back door with somebody else. [She laughs.]<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My dad was an engineer, so it was a five-year program, and my mom was in Human Ecology; they got married the September after they both graduated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are some of your most vivid memories of being a student on the Hill?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was a tennis player, and I spent a lot of time studying. In terms of where I hung out: there was a \u201cmusic room\u201d in Willard Straight that\u2019s not there anymore\u2014essentially a study room where they played classical music. I spent hours there, and there was also a TV room upstairs where we would catch soap operas in the middle of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Anne
Smalling (third from right) with fellow Big Red tennis players at Penn.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s your most treasured item of Big Red clothing or memorabilia?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had a favorite Cornell sweatshirt that was in tatters, but I think my husband made me throw it away. [She laughs.] <\/em>My grandfather ran track\u2014he was a sprinter\u2014and at the time, they would travel to England for some races. He won a couple of gold medals, and I still have those.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

In terms of where I hung out: there was a ‘music room’ in Willard Straight\u2014essentially a study room where they played classical music. I spent hours there.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What are some of the most important lessons you took away from your Cornell education?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resilience, patience, soldiering on, commitment, and accountability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was there a single class or a professor that stands out?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Urie Bronfenbrenner \u201938<\/a> was a mentor. The work he did with Head Start was revolutionary, and he brought that work into the College of Human Ecology and built what became the developmental studies department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Anne
Smalling (front row, far right) holds a homemade “cheat sheet” for singing the “Alma Mater” on a 1987 trip to Colorado that included members of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority as well as Kappas and Phi Gamma Delta brothers from the early 1960s.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What do you like to do on campus when you visit?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I always go for a run in the Botanic Gardens. I\u2019ll be out every day, unless it\u2019s snowing cats and dogs. It\u2019s an incredibly peaceful, beautiful way to start the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your father served nine years as trustee chair; what wisdom might you have taken from observing him, that may guide you now?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My dad had time for everyone\u2014to listen to them, to give them space to talk about their concerns, suggestions, and ideas. He was a great facilitator. I don\u2019t know that I have quite that same strength of character, but it\u2019s certainly something I\u2019d love to emulate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Urie Bronfenbrenner \u201938 was a mentor. The work he did with Head Start was revolutionary.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

How do you think he would have felt if he could have seen you become chair\u2014and how does it feel to be following in his footsteps?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think he\u2019d be incredibly proud. And I\u2019m probably a little daunted, if I\u2019m honest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Could you reflect on your proudest accomplishments as a trustee before becoming chair?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was lucky enough to co-chair the To Do the Greatest Good<\/a> capital campaign, which has been an incredible accomplishment. It\u2019s not mine; it\u2019s that of lots of other folks. But to be a part of that team, and that effort, is something I\u2019m proud to say I did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Peter
cornell university<\/figcaption>
Smalling’s dad at a 2007 square dance and barbecue for students in the Meinig Family Cornell National Scholars program.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

How do you envision your role as chair, and how do you hope to make the most impact?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The institution\u2014not just Cornell, but all of higher education\u2014is faced with a number of headwinds, so I hope I\u2019m able to help navigate them. I feel strongly that Cornell is a unique and special place, and I know we\u2019ll come out of this stronger and better. My commitment is to help make that happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re incredibly lucky to have very strong leadership. [President Kotlikoff] and his team are amazing, both in their capabilities and their dedication to the institution. It\u2019s my job to make their work as easy as possible, while ensuring that we\u2019re hearing, listening to, and understanding perspectives from all different stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Could you talk a bit about your career, and how your long experience in management might inform your work as chair?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been lucky to do a lot of different things, work with a lot of different people, and wear a number of different hats. In each of those situations and relationships, you may have some positional power\u2014but that\u2019s not going to help you accomplish a task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

My dad had time for everyone\u2014to listen to them, to give them space to talk about their concerns, suggestions, and ideas. He was a great facilitator.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

So I\u2019m hoping to be able to bring some of that experience to this role, where you\u2019ve got to get people to work together, listen, and understand lots of different perspectives\u2014and ultimately help navigate all those constituencies in the same direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re a large board\u201464 people\u2014and we have great participation from our emeritus trustees. So there are normally more than 100 of us in the room. And to some people, that may not seem like a positive\u2014but it really is a strength, because we have the opportunity for very fulsome discussions, and the freedom to state our opinions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you think is most distinctive about Cornell as an institution?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We live by our ethos of \u201cAny person, any study.\u201d It may sound a little Pollyannish, but it\u2019s incredibly important to our identity, and I think that distinguishes us. And we really want to do the greatest good; at all levels of the University, that is a motivator. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

And again, that\u2019s pretty unique. So for me, those two really speak to who we are as an institution, because they permeate everything we do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a related note, what is most special about Cornell\u2019s body of more than 300,000 living alumni?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The shared experience that most alumni have of being in Ithaca for a period of time binds them together in a unique way. The lack of outside distractions can sometimes feel a little narrowing, but the end result is that folks really come together, and get to know each other and the University. Over generations, that shared experience is a pretty strong bond.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Anne
the Cornellian<\/em> <\/figcaption>
Her senior portrait in the yearbook.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your daughter Sami is a Class of \u201920 grad; after having grown up as the granddaughter and daughter of Cornellians, what it was like to be a Big Red parent?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was really fun and special to see the University through her eyes, and to get to know her friends and see their experiences\u2014both the similarities and the differences from my own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, she had the opportunity to work in a research lab almost every day for a couple of years, and that was not something that was available to me in the same way. So I came to appreciate the research element of what the University does\u2014not just how important it is to graduate students, but how meaningful it can be to undergrads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Anne
Smalling with family at her 1987 Commencement, and …<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Anne
… celebrating daughter Sami’s master’s degree in 2021.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now, we\u2019d love to ask a few get-to-know-you questions. What are your hobbies?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m a runner, a cyclist, a golfer, and a skier\u2014both water and snow. So pretty much anything outside. I also like to read, though I don\u2019t get to do it much anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s your favorite book you\u2019ve read recently?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Art of Gathering<\/em><\/a> by Priya Parker. It talks about being more intentional about how and why people gather together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

We live by our ethos of ‘Any person, any study.’ It may sound a little Pollyannish, but it\u2019s incredibly important to our identity, and I think that distinguishes us.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s your favorite place on Earth you\u2019ve ever visited, and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than choosing one place, I\u2019d say that I love to travel. Each place has its own unique characteristics, people, and culture, and I really love experiencing that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s a place you\u2019ve haven\u2019t visited, but would love to go to?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Antarctica, Turkey, and India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Anne
Snapping a Commencement selfie with fellow trustees.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s your favorite book, movie, and TV show?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of my favorite books is The Great Gatsby<\/em>. For a movie, Rocky<\/em> is popping into my head; I\u2019m not sure I\u2019d say it\u2019s an all-time favorite, but I like the underdog story. For a TV show, maybe \u201cThe Big Bang Theory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OK, here\u2019s perhaps the most divisive question of all: what\u2019s your favorite Cornell Dairy ice cream flavor?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The one that has peanut butter and chocolate in it; they always have it, but I never remember the name. [Editor\u2019s note: it\u2019s Peanut Butter Mini Falls!] <\/em>It\u2019s sort of a guilty pleasure to walk up there, hide out from everybody, and walk back with your ice cream cone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And lastly: at Homecoming, Cornellians<\/em> has done <\/strong>an exercise<\/strong><\/a> where we ask alumni to sum up, in five words, what the University means to them. What\u2019s your \u201cCornell in five?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family, gorgeous, home, challenging, and growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Top: Portrait by Lindsay France \/ Cornell University. All other images provided, unless otherwise indicated.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Published September 5, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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