Rounding out the group were D. Ronald Daniel, former chair of McKinsey and Co., a Corporation member, University treasurer, and chair of the Board of the Harvard Management Company, which oversees Harvard’s $19 billion endowment; James R. “Jamie” Houghton ’58, chair emeritus of Corning, Inc., and a member of the Board of Directors of a half dozen companies ranging from Exxon Mobil to MetLife, who has most recently filled his time as the chair of the Metropolitan Museum of Art; and the youngest member of the search committee—the only one under 60—Herbert S. “Pug” Winokur Jr. ’64-’65.

Finally, the Corporation’s newest member arrived just in time for the search. Appointed earlier in the year, lawyer Conrad K. Harper’s term on the Corporation began July 1, 2000—exactly one year before the 27th president would take office. The task was daunting for the new member.

“I always anticipated that I would be part of some kind of search, I didn’t think I’d be facing a search the moment I arrived on the Corporation,” Harper said.

Three members of the Board of Overseers joined the six members of the Corporation for its nine-month-long odyssey: Richard E. Oldenburg ’54, Thomas E. Everhart ’53 and Overseer President Sharon E. Gagnon.

And, thus, the line-up was made. Seven men, two women. Seven New Yorkers, one Alaskan (Gagnon) and one Chicagoan (Gray). All wealthy. All but one white.