Dear Northeastern Colleagues,

I am saddened to tell you of the passing of Walter Lind, Director of Purchasing at Northeastern University for more than 15 years. Walter died on Friday, September 21, 2007, after a courageous battle with cancer. He leaves Kathy, his beloved wife and best friend, and his children Eric, Julia, and David.

Walter came to Northeastern in 1992 and led the transformation of the purchasing program. He was the driving force behind several important, far-reaching University initiatives, including the Minority Business Enterprise program. He developed and championed this program, fostering the interest and participation of many University departments and creating relationships between Northeastern and key minority business partners that continue to flourish. In the spring of 1998, he was the recipient of the first University Diversity Recognition Award for his extraordinary contributions to the Minority Business Enterprise Program.

For many years, Walter was the leader of numerous sustainability initiatives on campus—educating, advising, and prodding colleagues to understand the importance of implementing new practices that consider the social, environmental, and economic impact of many institutional activities. E-commerce and electronic invoicing to reduce paperwork and improve efficiency, purchase of furniture with recyclable content, pay-for-print programs to reduce waste, and the use of more environmentally friendly cleaners and pesticides are examples of the many programs he championed long before concerns about the climate and sustainability became so central to the University.

Walter was an exceptional University citizen, always seeking the best for Northeastern. Most importantly he was a wonderful colleague and friend. I, along with Jack McCarthy, Kater Pendergast, and Cheryl Whitfield, had the privilege of visiting Walter just last week at his home in Belmont. We all were struck by his high spirits and his unwavering passion for Northeastern. The University community, as well as each of us individually, is saddened by his loss. Walter will be sorely missed.

A memorial service for Walter will be held on Saturday, September 29, 2007, at 11:00 a.m. at First Church in Belmont Unitarian Universalist, followed by a reception in the Parish Hall. The church is located at 404 Concord Avenue, Belmont, MA 02478. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Walter’s name to the First Church.