Long Time Hanover College Board Member Retires

Has served more then 40 years

After 40 years of service, Mark Levett ’71 will retire from the Hanover College Board of Trustees this summer. Levett, who joined Hanover’s board in 1982, will complete an eight-year term as board chair June 30.

Levett, a retired executive at Cummins Inc., is only the 11th person to serve the College’s board for 40 or more years and the first since 1980. He was an instrumental member of the board’s long-range steering committee during the 1990s and was elected vice-chairman in 1998. He replaced Lexington, Ky., attorney Phillip Scott ’64 as chair in 2014.

“Hanover College has benefited immeasurably from the steady hand of Mark Levett for four decades,” said President Lake Lambert. “During that time, Hanover has experienced numerous changes and faced many challenges. Mark served and led the board with passion, commitment and integrity. We are forever grateful for his service.”

Levett’s effort and influence have helped propel Hanover through three of the most successful fundraising efforts in school history. Partnering with his wife, Marabeth Ice Levett ‘71, the couple’s leadership, stewardship and philanthropy have had a profound impact on all corners of Hanover’s campus life.

The Levetts served as co-chairs of the “Live Our Loyalty” campaign, which raised more than $55 million from 2010-13, and were influential in guiding “The Campaign for Hanover,” a five-year, $60 million effort completed in 1995. Recently, the couple has provided leadership in the successful first phase of the College’s bicentennial campaign, which has raised more than $27 million in the past three years.

In 2017, their generosity established the Levett Career Development Center. Their namesake provides the home for Hanover’s business and entrepreneurship faculty and serves as a one-stop campus location for all students seeking career counseling, internships or interview preparation.

During the “Live Our Loyalty” campaign, the Levetts’ stewardship and leadership helped modernize the College’s classrooms and endow funds to support academic programs, scholarships and international study. Their efforts were key to create the Withrow Activities Center in the J. Graham Brown Campus Center and the Gladish Center for Teaching and Learning in the Duggan Library. Their involvement also yielded a complete renovation of the College’s outdoor athletic facilities, including Alumni Stadium, Zeddies Tennis Center and the baseball, soccer, softball and track and field facilities.

“The Campaign for Hanover” provided 145 percent growth for the institution’s endowment, which created the opportunity to increase the size and quality of Hanover’s faculty, reform the curriculum, install a campus-wide fiber-optic telecommunications system and construct the Horner Health and Recreation Center, a 107,000-square-foot recreational facility.

“When I first joined the board, I had no idea I would serve for more than 40 years. It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve alongside so many incredible people,” noted Levett. “As I reflect on my time on the board and as board chair, the credit for my longevity goes to my fellow board members and the administration who provided ongoing support and inspiration. Hanover College is an amazing institution and I look forward to witnessing and supporting many future successes.”

Levett, a 1971 Hanover graduate, served Cummins, Inc. for 42 years. He joined the company as an analyst in 1973 when Cummins was a $500 million North American company. He held seven officer positions, including vice president international and general manager and vice president-high horsepower business, playing a key leadership role in Cummins’ growth to more than $20 billion in revenue and more than 50 percent of operations and sales being from outside the U.S.

He retired in 2015 as chief executive officer of the Cummins Foundation with a focus on increasing Cummins’ corporate responsibility globally.