CFO Peter Harvey ’84 Retires After 34 Years

At the end of the 2022–2023 academic year, Peter Harvey ’84 will have his last day in his office in Memorial Building looking out onto Boyer Avenue and Lakum Duckum. Harvey has served 25 years as Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (CFO)—longer than anyone in that role in the history of the college.

“More significant than the length of Harvey’s tenure is the depth of his impact on the people of Whitman, the college’s financial health and the development of the campus in support of students,” says President Sarah Bolton.

 A 1984 graduate of Whitman, Harvey was hired in December 1991 as Director of Administrative Services and appointed Treasurer and CFO in January 1998.

Harvey’s 25 years as CFO were marked by constant care for the long-term financial strength of the college. His tenure brought a 300% growth in the college’s endowment from $227 million to its present $700 million.

Among Harvey’s significant achievements was leading an investment of $125 million for new construction and renovation. These projects included Hunter Conservatory, Penrose Library, the Hall of Science, Reid Campus Center, Baker Ferguson Fitness Center, Sherwood Athletic Center, Baker Center, Cleveland Commons and Stanton Hall.

In April of 2023, Harvey was presented with a fitting surprise and what will be a lasting legacy. The Whitman College Board of Trustees, alumni and friends of the college made gifts of $10 million toward the first building of a junior and senio residential village—Harvey Hall—to be named in his honor.

In the spring of 2020, Harvey faced one of the college’s biggest challenges—leading Whitman’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Harvey worked tirelessly to keep the campus community safe by instituting testing and other protocols to limit the spread of illness and sustain teaching and learning.