In typical Caltech fashion, the Development and Institute Relations (DIR) department today welcomed their new boss, Brian Lee, with a prank: every member of the 100-person team wore a tie to make the former East Coaster feel at home in California.
During a visit to Caltech earlier this year, Lee said, "I have worn a tie to work every day of my adult life. It was never a question of, 'Do I wear a tie?' It was always, 'Which one do I wear?' So to come somewhere as esteemed as Caltech but with a more casual dress code . . . well, that's going to take some getting used to!"
The DIR team surprised the new vice president for DIR this morning in front of Millikan Library, giving him a taste for Caltech's pranking impulse and showing him they'll do all they can to help him fit right in.
Lee, who was previously the senior vice president for university advancement at Tufts University, will be the senior executive leading Caltech's institutional advancement efforts, creating and implementing strategies to elevate the Institute's profile and influence. He will lead Caltech's development, marketing, and Institute-relations efforts, as well as the alumni and Associates programs.
