Robert J. “Bob” Appel ’53, a vice seat of Weill Cornell Medicine’s Board of Fellows, Cornell trustee emeritus and statesmanlike councillor, died Nov. 19 successful New York, astatine property 91.
An progressive and enthusiastic Cornell alumnus, Appel was a devoted champion, distinguished person and esteemed benefactor of the Ithaca and Weill Cornell Medicine campuses. He was a prodigious advocator of surviving by illustration and, alongside his beloved woman Helen ’55, took immense pridefulness successful advancing Cornell’s mission.
“Bob’s bequest – arsenic a dedicated alumnus, volunteer, committee subordinate and philanthropist – is enormously far-reaching,” President Martha E. Pollack said. “He volition ever beryllium 1 of the genuinely large Cornellians: compassionate, visionary and with a boundless emotion for Cornell, its radical and its mission.”
Bob Appel astatine the 2019 Appel Alzheimer's Symposium. Photo Credit: StudioBrooke
Appel joined the Cornell Board of Trustees successful 1996. During his eight-year term, helium served arsenic seat of its Investment Committee and arsenic a subordinate of the Executive Committee. Since 2004, Appel has been an emeritus trustee and statesmanlike councillor to six presidents.
Bob and Helen’s philanthropy has strengthened the assemblage crossed its campuses. On the Ithaca campus, they provided enactment for galore projects, including the Appel Commons connected North Campus, Lincoln Hall and the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art. Within the College of Arts and Sciences, they funded statesmanlike probe scholarships, fellowships for humanists and societal scientists, and a professorship successful molecular and compartment biology. The Appels besides regularly volunteered their leadership, chairing respective people Reunion run committees and co-chairing the Tower Club.
For these and different achievements, the Appels were awarded the Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award this September.
“Bob’s committedness to Cornell and to research, find and the arts has and volition proceed to payment generations of Cornellians, and for this we are genuinely grateful,” said Kraig H. Kayser MBA ’84, president of the Cornell Board of Trustees. “Through his leadership, generosity and lukewarm spirit, Bob embodied what it means to beryllium a Cornellian, and helium volition beryllium profoundly missed.”
After completing his word arsenic trustee successful 2004, Appel was elected to Weill Cornell Medicine’s Board of Fellows, serving arsenic a vice seat since 2009, arsenic good arsenic a subordinate of the Executive, Membership & Governance, and Development committees.
For astir 2 decades, Appel indefatigably advocated for Weill Cornell Medicine’s imaginativeness of excellence successful medicine and science. He cared profoundly astir impactful philanthropy – however giving tin beryllium transformative successful bonzer ways – and inspired Weill Cornell Medicine’s countless donors to beforehand the institution’s mission.
Bob (center) with his woman Helen (left) and Dr. Li Gan (right), manager of the Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute Photo credit: John Abbott
His achievements are embodied successful the Discoveries that Make a Difference campaign that helium chaired, which surpassed each goals with much than $1.6 cardinal raised for Weill Cornell Medicine. They are besides reflected successful the Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, which helium and Helen generously established to basal retired the scourge of neurodegenerative diseases. Appel’s bequest volition besides endure successful the Belfer Research Building, which helium helped fund, and successful the invaluable enactment helium provided to Weill Cornell Medicine’s faculty.
“Bob was a elephantine successful the Weill Cornell Medicine assemblage who enactment his bosom into everything helium did,” said Jessica M. Bibliowicz ’81, president of the Weill Cornell Medicine Board of Fellows. “A tireless champion of our institution, helium volition agelong beryllium remembered for his passionateness for wellness care, his dedication to curing Alzheimer’s illness and his committedness to improving the lives of others. He powerfully believed successful the powerfulness of philanthropy to marque the satellite a amended spot – a sentiment that epitomized his and Helen’s generous giving, and galvanized others to bash the same. He volition beryllium greatly missed by each who were fortunate capable to cognize him.”
Appel was honorary seat for the existent We’re Changing Medicine campaign, for which neuroscience is simply a cardinal pillar.
“Bob’s unwavering committedness to Weill Cornell Medicine and the tract of neuroscience was genuinely visionary,” said Dr. Augustine M.K. Choi, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine. “His steadfast enactment has near an indelible people connected our institution. We are eternally grateful for his and Helen’s leadership, which has everlastingly changed Weill Cornell Medicine.”
Appel earned his bachelor’s grade successful economics successful 1953 from the Cornell College of Arts and Sciences, and an MBA successful 1955 from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He dedicated his vocation to concern management, serving astir precocious arsenic president of Appel Associates, an concern steadfast helium founded successful 2003. For astir 3 decades prior, Appel was a spouse astatine Neuberger Berman, an concern and securities brokerage firm, wherever helium was besides a subordinate of its enforcement committee.
Charismatic with boundless humor, optimism and candor, Appel was besides a subordinate of NewYork-Presbyterian’s Board of Trustees and president emeritus of Jazz astatine Lincoln Center.
He is survived by his wife, daughters Susan Appel Slavin and Debra Appel Weinreich, and 3 grandchildren.
A mentation of this communicative archetypal appeared connected teh Cornell Chronicle.
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