Douglas Bayer elected Trustee

Douglas L. Bayer, Bellevue, Washington, has been elected to the Knox College Board of Trustees.

A native of Chicago and graduate of Stephen T. Mather High School, Doug Bayer received a bachelor's degree in physics at Knox in 1966, and went on to earn both his master's degree and doctorate in nuclear physics at Michigan State University. At Knox, he joined the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and participated in the off-campus program at the Argonne National Laboratory.

Bayer joined Microsoft in 1994, serving as a manager and director of software development, and most recently as a software security architect. Previously he spent 17 years in computer systems research for Bell Laboratories and later served as director of software development for The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation.

"Doug and Maria Bayer's commitment to liberal education, their sense of philanthropy, together with Doug's perspectives on leadership as a senior executive of Microsoft, will enrich the board," said Knox College President Roger Taylor.

Bayer and his wife recently pledged $1-million to create the Bayer Faculty Chair in Earth Sciences, a new position in Knox's Environmental Studies Department.

Founded in 1837, Knox is a national liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, with students from 45 states and 44 nations. Knox's "Old Main" is a National Historic Landmark and the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.