The February PAW omitted a notable alumnus who died in 2024: James Albert “Jim” Leach ’64. His New York Times obituary noted that in the same conversation he could speak learnedly about high school and college wrestling, banking regulation, and great American artists, and repeat what he said in Russian. That breadth stemmed from his distinguished life and career. A native of Iowa, where he was a state wrestling champion and a 15-term Republican congressman, he served as chairman of the House banking committee and later as President Barack Obama’s appointee to head the National Endowment for the Humanities. Jim Leach truly embodied our motto of Princeton in the world’s service.
The February PAW omitted a notable alumnus who died in 2024: James Albert “Jim” Leach ’64. His New York Times obituary noted that in the same conversation he could speak learnedly about high school and college wrestling, banking regulation, and great American artists, and repeat what he said in Russian. That breadth stemmed from his distinguished life and career. A native of Iowa, where he was a state wrestling champion and a 15-term Republican congressman, he served as chairman of the House banking committee and later as President Barack Obama’s appointee to head the National Endowment for the Humanities. Jim Leach truly embodied our motto of Princeton in the world’s service.