[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 120 (Tuesday, June 30, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S4029]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO RONALD K. MACHTLEY

  Mr. REED. Madam President, I rise to join my colleague from Rhode 
Island in celebrating the career of a distinguished national servant 
and university leader, the Honorable Ronald K. Machtley, who is 
retiring from Bryant University after serving as its president for 24 
years. Today, marks President Machtley's final day at the helm of 
Bryant University. He has been an extraordinary leader and has placed 
the university on a path for continued growth and innovation.
  President Machtley brought a deep commitment to public service to 
Bryant University. A graduate of the Naval Academy, he retired as a 
captain after 25 years in Active Duty and the Reserves. He was elected 
to the House of Representatives to represent the First Congressional 
District of Rhode Island in 1988, where he served for three terms. Two 
of these terms, we served side by side. In 1996, he was selected to be 
the eighth president of then-Bryant College, an institution founded in 
1863 to provide business education to working people, especially Civil 
War veterans.
  When he arrived at Bryant College, President Machtley found an 
institution struggling to survive. Enrollment was low, with five empty 
dormitories, and the budget was in deficit. He began the painstaking 
work of restoring the college's confidence, finances, and educational 
programs. By 2004, Bryant College was ready to become Bryant 
University. Today, applications to Bryant are at alltime highs, and 
enrollment stands at 3,500 undergraduate students compared to only 
2,200 in 1996. President Machtley also led successful capital campaigns 
and oversaw the transformation of campus facilities, including the 2016 
opening of the state-of-the-art Academic Innovation Center. He expanded 
Bryant's reach around the globe, opening a campus in Zhuhai, China. 
These investments in the university have paid off. Bryant has climbed 
in the national rankings, and Bryant graduates are highly competitive. 
Recent data show that 99 percent of Bryant University students have 
jobs or are in graduate school within 6 months of graduation.
  Bryant University will also miss the contributions of Mrs. Kati C 
Machtley, who has served as an ambassador for the university and 
spearheaded important campus initiatives. Since 1997, Mrs. Machtley has 
led the annual Women's Summit at Bryant, which has provided a forum to 
inspire, empower, and advance women.
  The Machtley's have helped lay the foundation that will launch Bryant 
University into the future. Now that future is in the good hands of the 
faculty, administration, students, and alumni. They continue to inspire 
us all with their example. I thank them for their service and wish them 
well in retirement.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Madam President, I rise today to recognize former 
Congressman Ron Machtley from Rhode Island on his last day as president 
of Bryant University. President Machtley has led Bryant for almost a 
quarter century. During that time, he shepherded Bryant's transition 
from a regionally focused business college to a university that 
prepares students to succeed in a global economy.
  A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Ron began his career in Active 
Duty with the Navy and retired from the U.S. Naval Reserves in 1995 
with the rank of captain. He practiced law for a time before winning 
election to the U.S. House of Representatives. After leaving Congress, 
Machtley stepped into the role of president at Bryant University, where 
he has served for the past 24 years.
  Bryant University was founded in Smithfield, RI, in 1863, in the 
middle of the Civil War. Bryant was originally intended to be a place 
Civil War veterans could learn the fundamentals of business and get a 
fresh start. When Ron Machtley moved into the president's office, 
Bryant College was still narrowly focused on business education. In 
2004, President Machtley announced that Bryant would officially become 
a university with two distinct colleges: the College of Business and 
the College of Arts and Sciences.
  President Machtley has put Bryant on the map in many other ways--
increasing enrollment, revitalizing the campus, and joining competitive 
NCAA Division I athletics. Last year, an alltime high of more than 
7,700 students from across the world applied for a spot in Bryant 
University's freshman class. To help prepare students to compete in a 
global economy, President Machtley established a new campus in Zhuhai, 
China, and expanded the university's study abroad options. Bryant has 
excelled at equipping students with the skills to earn success in 
business and many other fields. Employers clearly recognize the value 
of a degree from Bryant--99 percent of the class of 2019 was employed 
or pursuing an advanced degree within 6 months of graduation.
  I wish President Machtley an active and enjoyable retirement, and I 
thank him for his dedicated service to the Bryant community.

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