DANBURY, CONN. — Western Connecticut State University President Dr. James W. Schmotter has been elected to a two-year term as a member of the board of directors of Ethan Allen Interiors Inc., the Danbury-based multinational company specializing in interior design and the manufacture and retailing of home furnishings.

Schmotter has served since 2004 as the eighth president of WCSU, a member of the Connecticut State University System that currently enrolls more than 6,600 students at its two campuses in Danbury. He gained extensive experience in business education and administration as dean of the Haworth College of Business at Western Michigan University, dean of the College of Business and Economics at Lehigh University, and associate dean and director of international studies at the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. He has provided consulting for diverse clients including IBM, TRW, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Educational Testing Service, the Institute for International Education, and other companies, foundations and educational institutions.

Schmotter has been active in professional associations as chairman of the board of trustees of the Graduate Management Admission Council, founding vice chair of the board of the MBA Enterprise Corps, and member of various committees of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. He currently serves as a director of the United Way of Western Connecticut, the Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce, and the Hord Foundation.

Farooq Kathwari, chairman and chief executive officer of Ethan Allen, observed that Schmotter’s professional and personal experience is well suited to his new role on the company’s board.

“We are delighted that Jim Schmotter is joining our board,” Kathwari said. “He brings extensive knowledge in business strategies, and is a well-respected member of the Danbury community.”

Schmotter expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to a company whose management has shown skill and vision in leading Ethan Allen through the recent recession.

“Ethan Allen’s progress in difficult economic times is a tribute not only to its focus on producing quality for both customers and shareholders, but also to the talent and commitment of its people,” he said. “I look forward to joining its team as a director.”

For more information, contact the WCSU Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486. For information on Ethan Allen Interiors Inc., access the company website at www.ethanallen.com.

 

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics
of New England’s best small private universities.