Denison has named Marc B. Lautenbach ’83 as chair of the university’s Board of Trustees, effective July 1, 2025.
Lautenbach, a former president and CEO of Pitney Bowes who also spent 27 years at IBM, has served on the Denison Board of Trustees since 2009 and was vice chairman from 2020 to 2025.
“Denison was transformative for me,” Lautenbach said. “I wouldn’t necessarily say I had the four easiest years at Denison, but I walked out a different person. The experiences I had here gave me the confidence and sense of purpose that have shaped my life and career.”
Lautenbach steps into a role previously held by fellow alum Lee Sachs ’85. Sachs served as chair from January 2020 through June 2025 and remains a trustee on Denison’s board.
“Marc is an incredibly dedicated Denisonian and is a highly experienced leader for our Board and partner for me,” said President Adam Weinberg. “He cares deeply about Denison and is committed to our continued success and momentum.”
Lautenbach grew up in Toledo, Ohio. His father worked for Owens-Corning Fiberglass, which is headquartered in Toledo. Lautenbach became familiar with Denison in part because of the company’s long-standing Licking County operations. His connection to the region and early appreciation for the liberal arts made Denison an ideal fit.
“Denison is a remarkable place — when you walk on campus, you can feel the positive energy,” he said. “Denison prides itself on relationships, and some of my best friends still today are from Denison.”
Lautenbach said Denison is well-positioned at a time when U.S. higher education finds itself at an inflection point.
“Denison is well-positioned to navigate the current moment and to spot new opportunities. This is due to the incredible talents and commitments of our faculty, the great senior team, and the fantastic students coming to the college. There is so much positive momentum at Denison right now.”
“The board is a small part of the total recipe, but it’s a great board that is very committed to ensuring that Denison is moving forward,” he said.
Lautenbach was the president and CEO of shipping and technology firm Pitney Bowes for 11 years, retiring in 2023. He was credited with his commitment to innovation and client-centric initiatives and with shepherding the business through the Covid pandemic, which turned the global supply chain upside down.
Before joining Pitney Bowes, Lautenbach was managing partner of IBM North America Global Business Services, where he was responsible for the consulting and systems integration business and oversaw professionals globally. He held other roles during his 27 years with IBM, including general manager for IBM North America, in which he oversaw the IBM sales and distribution operations in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America.
Lautenbach graduated Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude, from Denison and went on to earn his MBA from The Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
“I left Denison with a degree of confidence that allowed me to go to a great business school and really start my professional career right,” he said. “As I look back on my life and career now, that time at Denison was instrumental in terms of me being who I am today.”