President William Greiner Tribute (Jaeckle Award 2002)
William R. Greiner’s impact on UB was profound. He drove significant growth as president of the university, expanding research, facilities and athletics. His legacy includes academic advancements, campus development and raising UB’s national stature. His dedication to students and the community cemented his lasting influence. He received the 27th Edwin F. Jaeckle Award recognizing his distinguished 35-year career at UB as a law professor, provost and president. This award is the highest honor the School of Law and Law Alumni Association can bestow.
About this Interview
Date
- November 2, 2002 (Jaeckle Award)
- Feb. 2, 2010 (Tribute)
Occasion
- Presentation of the Annual Edwin F. Jaeckle Award following the UB Law Alumni Convocation
- Tributes and remembrances, including photos
Place
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Buffalo
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About President William Greiner
During Professor Greiner’s 12-year tenure as president, beginning in 1991, UB has developed into a leadership institution that benefits our region, state and nation. He has helped expand UB’s role as a public research institution by encouraging the growth of more than 80 transdisciplinary research centers that attract millions of dollars in external funding. He has improved the quality of undergraduate education through the University Honors and Distinguished Honors programs; increased the quantity and quality of master’s and PhD programs; oversaw the formation of the College of Arts and Sciences; and expanded UB’s international programs.
Under his leadership, new residential housing, a student union, cultural, recreational, commercial and athletic facilities for the North Campus, and a new high-tech academic building on the South Campus have transformed UB’s two campuses. UB sports moved to the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I—the nation’s highest level of intercollegiate athletic competition. He also made the university less reliant on state funding by initiating the $250 million Campaign for UB.
Among his public service activities, he helped to reconfigure Buffalo’s health care system; advocated for UB’s Center for Excellence in Bioinformatics; and worked tirelessly to bridge town/gown and city/county relations. He is widely known as a supporter of regionalism across Western New York.
Recruited to join the UB School of Law faculty in 1967, Greiner taught tax and government finance, real property, real estate transactions, municipal law and municipal finance. He was named UB’s associate vice president for academic affairs in 1980 and became the university’s first provost in 1987.
Born June 9, 1934—Died Dec. 19, 2009
Speakers
Thomas E. Headrick, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus and Provost
Dean Headrick praised UB President William Greiner for his interdisciplinary vision and commitment to students. He highlighted Greiner’s influence on UB School of Law, fostering an outward-looking approach without intellectual boundaries. Greiner’s strategic thinking and tactical organization drove UB’s advancement across multiple missions.
Francis M. Letro ’79
Francis Letro, a successful trial lawyer and former student of Professor Greiner, emphasized Greiner’s genuine concern for students, particularly those from working-class backgrounds. Greiner served as a mentor and role model for Letro, understanding the value of public education. Letro credited Greiner with enabling his legal career and those of countless others who have become successful practitioners, business leaders, judges and public administrators. Letro emphasized Greiner’s humanity and civility, urging others to emulate his example.
Born June 9, 1934—Died Dec. 19, 2009
Speakers
Mistress of Ceremonies Lynn A. Clarke, UB Law Alumni Association president.
Remarks presented by Kenneth F. Joyce, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor; Thomas E. Headrick, UB provost and professor; Carol Greiner; and R. Nils Olsen, UB School of Law dean.
Dean Olsen presents the Jaeckle Award to President Greiner, who offers acceptance remarks.
About the Jaeckle Award
The Jaeckle Award is given annually to a person who exemplifies the highest ideals of UB School of Law and the Law Alumni Association and has made significant contributions to the school and the legal profession. It is named for Edwin F. Jaeckle ’15, a founding partner of the Buffalo law firm Jaeckle, Fleischmann & Mugel, and a major benefactor of the school.