Michael Kahn to Chair Grinnell College Board of Trustees

The Grinnell College Board of Trustees recently elected Michael Kahn ’74 to serve as board chair. Kahn has been a member of the Grinnell College Board of Trustees since 2015. During that time, he has served in several key roles, including as board vice-chair for the past three years; chair of the highly successful Campaign for Grinnell College; chair or co-chair of several board task forces, committees, and working groups; and vice chair of the Exit 182 Board of Directors investment board.

Kahn is a retired senior managing director at Teachers, Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA), a national financial services organization and a leading provider of retirement services in academic, research, medical and cultural fields. During his TIAA career, he served as a member of the company’s Executive Leadership Group and ran several lines of business. As a senior leader in TIAA’s Corporate Strategy and Development group, Kahn also played a principal role in many TIAA acquisitions and oversaw the launch of a large-scale global real estate joint venture.  

Additionally, he led several startup and restructuring efforts and helped launch TIAA’s third party asset management business. During his career, Kahn helped set up boards and governance structures for TIAA’s operating subsidiaries and was an active member of the company’s Enterprise Governance Committee. Kahn continues to serve on the boards of TIAA Endowment and Philanthropic Services and TIAA Charitable. 

Kahn has sponsored more than 40 summer internships for Grinnell College students while mentoring many other Grinnell students and young alumni. He has actively supported the College’s efforts to engage alumni in the New York City area.  

“I am thrilled to welcome Michael as our new board chair; his commitment to Grinnell and extensive career lend themselves to the important work of the College. The College's ability to fulfill its promise of contributing to the common good is made possible in large measure by the often-unseen work of dedicated alumni volunteers such as Michael,” said Anne Harris, Grinnell College president. 

In addition to this key leadership role transition, the board welcomed two new trustee members, Jeetander Dulani ’98 and Kristin Stout ’89, during the annual meeting: 

• Dulani, who earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Grinnell, is special counsel at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman. A member of the Grinnell Alumni Council since 2015, he has co-chaired its Diversity and Inclusion and Student Connections committees. In addition, he volunteered from 2001 to 2016 in the Grinnell Regional Admission Support Program and was active with the former Grinnell-in-Washington, D.C. semester program. 

• Stout is senior vice president of technology risk management at Wells Fargo Bank. A member of the Grinnell College Campaign Committee, she was a co-class fund director for the class of 1989 and served on her Reunion Class Committee. Stout also has been an active regional volunteer, planning and hosting numerous Grinnell events in the Twin Cities. She earned a bachelor’s in political science and religious studies from Grinnell.