Monday, May 12, 2025
After a national search, the Board of Trustees has selected John R. Loyack
Dear Members of the Rider University Community,
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am honored to share with you the exciting news that John R. Loyack has been selected to serve as the next president of Rider University. Unanimously chosen by the Board of Trustees, he will assume office on July 7, following the retirement of Dr. Gregory G. Dell’Omo, who has led our institution with dedication and vision since 2015.
The Board’s decision to appoint John follows a comprehensive national search, during which we were fortunate to engage with a wide array of accomplished leaders from across the country. I want to express my deep appreciation to the Presidential Search Committee, chaired by my fellow trustee Joe McDougall ’93, whose diligent work and thoughtful deliberations helped us arrive at this extraordinary result. We also are grateful to the many faculty, staff, students, alumni and trustees who contributed their perspectives throughout this important process.
John comes to Rider with a powerful blend of experience both in higher education and the corporate sector, with many of his roles focused on restoring institutional health and prosperity. Most recently, he served as president of Alvernia University, where he led a university-wide transformation, launching new academic programs, increasing enrollment, executing a $60 million fundraising campaign, creating new community partnerships and leading urban redevelopment initiatives that extended the university’s impact well beyond its campus.
Prior to his tenure at Alvernia, John served as executive vice president for business and administration at King’s College, where he guided the institution through a successful financial and strategic turnaround. Earlier in his career, he held senior executive roles in energy, manufacturing and nonprofit industries, consistently driving growth and operational excellence.
John is a mission-driven leader with a deep appreciation for higher education’s role in preparing students for purposeful lives and careers. He is committed to advancing Rider’s legacy of academic distinction, student-centered community and emphasis on real-world learning experiences. He brings to our University not only strategic insight and operational acumen, but also a collaborative spirit that I know will resonate deeply with our faculty, staff, students, alumni, families and partners.
We stand at a pivotal moment in Rider’s journey, and we do so with full awareness of the profound challenges facing higher education today. We believe that with his proven ability to navigate complexity, inspire community and champion innovation, John is uniquely equipped to guide Rider forward — ensuring not only its sustainability, but its ability to thrive.
In the months ahead, the University will host a series of events and gatherings to welcome John to campus and introduce him more fully to our community. We look forward to offering many opportunities for you to engage with him about his vision for Rider’s future.
On behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, I want to thank President Dell’Omo for his years of steadfast service and leadership and to express our collective excitement as we welcome President-Elect Loyack to Rider University.
To learn more about John, I encourage you to visit the presidential announcement webpage.
Sincerely,
Joan C. Mazzotti ’72
Chair, Rider University Board of Trustees