BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Vernon M. Endo, former CEO and board member of Bermuda-based RAM Holdings Ltd. and RAM Reinsurance Company Ltd., was named chairperson of the Bloomfield College board of trustees on July 1.
“We are so grateful for the service of Trustee Endo over these past 11 years, and we are thrilled that he has accepted the role of chair for the next three years,” college President Marcheta P. Evans said. “The finance skills and historical understanding he brings to the board are vital — especially now, as the college, like so many institutions of higher education, is strategizing around the challenges this past year of the pandemic have introduced.”
Having served as a member of the Bloomfield College board of trustees since 2010, Endo first learned about the college from former trustees who were his neighbors at the time in Montclair. Later, upon returning to the state after living in Bermuda for seven years, Endo was invited to meet with the college’s leadership team and a number of trustees. This solidified his joining the board.
“I always had an interest in education — especially being a first-generation college student myself. When I heard about the college’s mission and that it was serving primarily students who had very few advantages, I knew this was a good fit from an interest point of view,” Endo said. “Our students have had to work very hard to start and complete their degrees, and I admire their determination. Getting here (to college) is an achievement in itself due to the challenging life circumstances they have to overcome.
“The college is at a crossroads in its history,” he continued. “I am looking forward to furthering the board’s work along with President Evans, the college team and my fellow trustees, who have so much to contribute.”