Newly hired administrator passes away suddenly

By Jen Maldonado

William Ahearn, assistant vice president for University Communications and Marketing, passed away on Oct. 23 because of complications that arose from a case of acute pancreatitis. Although Ahearn only began working at Rider in July, he left a lasting impression on many people, according to Jonathan Meer, Vice President of Univeristy Advancement.

“Bill brought a unique perspective to his work,” Meer said. “He had keen communication skills, was a great writer and connected to a wide variety of people on campus, from faculty, staff, trustees and students.”

Sean Ramsden, director of Editorial Services, worked closely with Ahearn.

“Bill always displayed such a sense of humility,” Ramsden said. “At the same time, he was remarkably quick-witted and had such a feel for his audience. These are the traits that made him such an effective communication and marketing professional, but they also made him many friends in a relatively short time at Rider. We’re going to miss him.”