Marquette University has announced a pair of leadership promotions, following the pending departure of
Paul J. Jones, its outgoing vice president for university relations and general counsel.
Jones is joining Milwaukee-based
A. O. Smith Corp., where he will lead corporate development and strategy. His last day at Marquette will be Friday, Nov. 17.
Before joining Marquette, Jones served in legal counsel roles at Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Regal Rexnord. Jones may share a name with the former chief executive officer of A.O. Smith – Paul Jones who retired in 2014 – but the two men are not related, a company spokesman said.
“Paul has been a trusted general counsel and dynamic university leader,” Lovell said. “He has provided extraordinary value to the university by elevating the Marquette brand through external storytelling and relationship building. I wish him all the best in his new role, where I’m certain he will thrive.”
During his time at Marquette, Jones led many of Marquette’s externally facing functions, including marketing, communication, public affairs, and corporate and community engagement. He integrated and rebranded those functions as the Office of University Relations (OUR) to serve the Marquette community as strategic partners, connectors, and storytellers, a university press release states.
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Lynn Griffith[/caption]
As general counsel, Jones was responsible for the management and operation of the Office of the General Counsel, which provides legal representation, advice and services on all legal matters affecting the university and its employees.
With Jones' departure,
Lynn Griffith, assistant vice president of university communication, will become Marquette’s chief marketing and communication officer, responsible for the university’s marketing and communication functions within the Office of University Relations. Her new role will be effective Nov. 13.
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Ralph Weber[/caption]
Taking over Jones’s legal responsibilities will be
Ralph Weber. The longtime Milwaukee trial lawyer, and owner of Weber Advising, will begin his role of acting general counsel for Marquette on Nov. 13. Weber has previously served as outside counsel for the university and will lead the Office of General Counsel, as well as the corporate engagement, public affairs, and Innovation Alley functions within the Office of University Relations.
Griffith and Weber will report to Marquette University President Michael Lovell and will serve on the President’s Cabinet and the University Leadership Council.
“Lynn has demonstrated remarkable leadership in her role, and she has become a trusted counselor to me and other senior leaders at Marquette — I have great confidence in her ability to lead the marketing and communication functions in OUR, and I look forward to working more closely with her,” Lovell said in a press release. “I am equally pleased to have Ralph step into his new role, as he is one of the city’s most highly respected lawyers, and he has provided loyal and dedicated service to Marquette, always with the university’s best interests at heart.”
