Former Stock Exchange President Now New College Board Chairman

Board of Trustees will have top-echelon financial officials on hand following the appointment two new members.

William R. Johnston, former president and chief operating officer of the New York Stock Exchange, an Keith D. Monda, former president and chief operating officer of luxury handbag designer Coach Inc., were both elected to the college's Board of Trustees on Saturday.

“As a lifelong proponent of liberal arts education, I am deeply honored to be named chair of the New College of Florida Board of Trustees and look forward to helping advance the cause of this superb institution as we continue to grow and flourish,” said Johnston in accepting the post. “Yet, I also realize that I have big shoes to fill. Senator Johnson's long history of advocacy and support for New College are to be commended and admired by all.” 

Johnston will serve as chairman while Monda will serve as vice chair, and both will serve through 2014. 

Johnston succeeds former Florida State Sen. Robert M. Johnson, who has served as chair of the New College Board since being reappointed to the body in 2010 by then-Gov. Charlie Crist. Johnson also served as a founding member and chair of the New College of Florida Board from 2001-2007. Monda succeeds Elaine M. Keating, who has served as vice chair of the New College Board since 2008. Both Johnson and Keating will continue to serve as trustees of the College.

Johnston served as president and chief operating officer of the New York Stock Exchange from 1996 to 2001. In addition to his leadership of the NYSE, Johnston has worked for a number of leading firms on Wall Street, including Johnston & Lunger, Mitchum Jones & Templeton, Agora Securities and LaBranche & Co. He is a graduate of Washington and Lee University, where he has remained active and is an emeritus trustee. He also served on the board of Hollins University in Virginia. Currently, Johnston is a member of the boards of Friends of DeSoto National Park, Plymouth Harbor, and Boys & Girls Club of Manatee Foundation. His past advisory board service includes the Lubin School of Business at Pace University in New York, Goizueta School of Business at Emory University and the Jepson School of Leadership Studies of the University of Richmond. 

Vice Chair Keith D. Monda served as president and chief operating officer of Coach, Inc., from 2002-08, having served previously as chief operating officer and executive vice president of the company. Monda also served as a director of Coach, Inc., from 2000-09.

Prior to his service at Coach, Monda was at Timberland Company, where he held the positions of senior vice president for finance and administration, as well as senior vice president for operations and chief financial officer. He was also executive vice president for finance and administration at J.Crew, Inc., and held management positions with Bunge Corporation and Pfizer, Inc.

In addition to the New College Board, Monda is currently a member of the Ohio State University Foundation Board, co-chair of the Advisory Committee for the executive dean of arts and sciences at Ohio State and chairman of the Arts & Sciences Ohio State University Capital Campaign. He earned his B.S. degree in business administration and M.A. in economics from Ohio State University.