Inside at the announcement, Stone also paid homage to current president Neil L. Rudenstine, thanking the outgoing president for his "extraordinary and selfless devotion to Harvard."
Summers will assume "the leadership of a strong and vibrant institution that is very well positioned for the future," thanks largely to Rudenstine, Stone concluded.
The press conference brought to an end a hectic day that had begun early yesterday morning, as members of Harvard's governing boards gathered at the Rainbow Room, a ritzy Rockefeller Center restaurant, to approve the search committee's choice (see related story, page 6).
Following the Overseers' approval, search committee members Stone, Sharon E. Gagnon, Hanna H. Gray and James R. Houghton '58, joined by Summers and University spokesperson Joe Wrinn, were chauffeured to Newark Airport around 2:30 p.m.
There they used Houghton's six-seat company plane to fly to New Bedford, where sedans whisked them to Loeb House on Quincy St. in time for the 5:30 p.m. press conference.
As Summers got out of the sedan at Loeb House, a first-year student approached him, congratulated him and asked for his autograph.
After the announcement the search committee expressed relief that the nine-month search was over.
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