RIT remembers alumnus and former trustee Henry Navas

RIT alumnus and former trustee Henry Navas died Oct. 16 from multiple myeloma cancer.

Mr. Navas, a member of RIT’s Board of Trustees from 2013 to 2015, earned an MBA in 1974 and a master’s degree in accounting in 1977 from Saunders College of Business. His career included work in Xerox’s internal operations analysis department; as director of internal audit at Advanced Micro Devices; and at Cisco Systems, where he became controller and treasurer and helped launch the company’s initial public offering in 1990.

He served on several RIT committees, including the board’s education and audit committees, as well as the RIT West Coast Board of Advisors from 2014 to 2020 and the Strategic Plan Task Force from 2014 to 2016. He was also honored with the Saunders College of Business Distinguished Alumni Award in 2016.

Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Navas committed more than $4 million to RIT, primarily in support of a number of faculty initiatives, including the RIT Big Shot. He also offered significant support to the Eugene H. Fram Chair in Applied Critical Thinking, created in 2012. Through his efforts, he enhanced the university’s Applied Critical Thinking initiative, which integrates critical thinking improvement in classes and community life.

Jennifer Schneider, professor and the Eugene H. Fram Chair in Applied Critical Thinking,
reflected on Mr. Navas’s interest in advancing individual and collective critical thinking.

“Henry’s interest was in preparing us to wrestle with and address important questions and inconsistencies in our world. Henry always reminded me that when we think we have it all figured out, we are fooling ourselves and others. Henry was a great mentor to me, always supportive, but also willing to push me to be better.”

“All of us at RIT are saddened by Henry’s passing,” said Ellen Granberg, RIT provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “He was well respected, a lifelong learner, and wholly believed in our university’s mission to prepare our graduates for the workplace. Henry also never shied away from having fun and finding opportunities to build strong relationships. Every time I saw him, he was full of ideas and suggestions. We had many long and wonderful conversations about RIT and its future. His impact on our campus community will be forever remembered and honored.”

A celebration of his life will be held in the spring by his family.