Giving back

First ICS Endowment from Alumna Beth Florin in Honor of Late Husband Joe Rich

Cornell ILR School's newly formed Institute for Compensation Studies received its first endowment from Beth Florin in honor of her late husband Joseph Rich at the fall ICS student reception hosted by Harry Katz, the Kenneth F. Kahn Dean and Jack Sheinkman Professor of the ILR School.

Photo: Following his announcement of the Joseph Rich Memorial Fund for Compensation Studies, Cornell ILR Dean Harry Katz stands with donor, ILR Alumna Beth Florin; Institute for Compensation Studies Director, Kevin Hallock, and ILR Assistant Dean of Alumni Affairs and Development, Christopher Crooker.

"He loved Cornell," Florin (MS ILR 1985) said of her late husband."He felt Cornell had given him the foundation for his future success and he wanted to contribute to the school, the faculty, and the students. Whenever there was a need, he was ready to step up," said Ms Florin of Mr. Rich (BS ILR 1980; MS ILR 1986) who had served on ILR Alumni’s Board of Directors and the Dean’s Advisory Council. Mr. Rich co-founded with Ms. Florin a technology industry compensation consultancy, Executive Alliance, which was acquired by Clark Consulting in 2001. Mr. Rich was Chairman of Pearl Meyer and Partners at the time of his passing in December 2007 at the age of 48.

This year, the Joseph Rich Memorial Fund for Compensation Studies will help fund ICS activities enabling student research.

In responding to Dean Katz’s announcement of the gift, ICS Director Kevin Hallock noted that “Joe served as a mentor to me and taught me about the practitioner side of compensation.” Professor Hallock expressed gratitude “for Beth’s generosity” and pride in ICS being associated with the Florin and Rich families in this way.

Ms. Florin, managing director of Pearl Meyer and Partners and head of the Survey and Employee Compensation Practice, holds an M.S. in Human Resource Management and Research Methods from Cornell ILR. She is a member of the Cornell University Council and the ILR Dean’s Advisory Council.

The ceremony announcing the gift in honor of Mr. Rich was attended by Mr. Rich’s brother, David, and mother, Elizabeth, along with more than 75 students, faculty and administrators.

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