Gov. Ned Lamont announced Friday morning that Shari Cantor has been selected to lead the University of Connecticut Board of Trustees.

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor has been named the chair of the UConn Board of Trustees, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Friday morning.

Cantor, who is a graduate of the UConn School of Business and has been a member of the UConn Business Hall of Fame since 2017, has served as a member of the Board of Trustees since 2014.

She takes over for Dan Toscano, who stepped down from leadership of the board on Thursday.

Cantor “bleeds Husky blue,” and her advocacy and support of UConn and connections with the state’s business community were noted by the governor in his selection of her as the next chair of the governing body that oversees Connecticut’s largest public university.

“In selecting a board chair, I want someone who not only has extensive experience with UConn and knows its academic and administrative needs, but who also has strong connections to Connecticut’s business community and will actively work to strengthen the bonds between the university and our state’s employers so that our graduates are prepared with the resources they need to lead successful, long-lasting careers,” Lamont said in a statement.

“Shari Cantor is the right person to lead the board, and her input is going to significantly benefit the university and its mission to develop the graduates who will flourish in today’s rapidly evolving, modern economy. Shari bleeds Husky blue, and I look forward to having her serve in this leadership role,” the governor said.

“As a proud UConn graduate, I am deeply honored to take on this responsibility,” Cantor said in a statement.

“UConn has played an extraordinary role in my life and in the lives of so many Connecticut families. Public service has always been a deeply meaningful commitment for me, and I see this opportunity as another way to give back to a university and state that have given me so much. I thank Gov. Lamont for his confidence and Dan Toscano for his many years of dedicated leadership, service, and commitment to UConn’s success. I look forward to working collaboratively with President Radenka Maric, my fellow trustees, faculty, staff, students, and alumni to build on UConn’s remarkable momentum, expand opportunities for our students, and strengthen the university’s impact on Connecticut and beyond.”

A lifelong West Hartford resident, Cantor has served the town as a volunteer for decades, including as a member of the Town Council since 2004. She became deputy mayor in 2012, and has been mayor since 2016 – and said Friday that she plans to remain in the unpaid leadership role.

“Serving as mayor of West Hartford has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and I look forward to continuing in this role,” Cantor told We-Ha.com on Friday. “I care deeply about this community, its residents, and the important work we are doing together to make West Hartford an even better place to live, work, and raise a family,” she said.

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to take on this new leadership role at UConn while continuing to serve the town I love. Both are volunteer positions that reflect my longstanding commitment to public service. I look forward to working with my colleagues, town staff, and our community to build on all that we have accomplished and address the opportunities and challenges ahead,” Cantor added.

Cantor has lifelong roots in West Hartford and the state. She attended West Hartford Public Schools beginning in kindergarten at Aiken, and is a 1977 graduate of Hall High School. She is a 1981 magna cum laude graduate of UConn with a degree in accounting.

Her strong family connections to UConn include her three siblings who are all graduates of the university, and her husband Michael Cantor – who earned a degree in chemical engineering from UConn in 1980 and a juris doctor degree from UConn School of Law in 1983. Michael Cantor also taught courses at the School of Law for more than 20 years and, and currently serves on advisory boards for the School of Engineering and the School of Law.

Two of the Cantors’ four sons also obtained degrees at UConn.

After graduation from UConn, Cantor began her professional career as a certified public accountant, first at PwC and then at Cigna. She has served in volunteer and leadership roles with organizations throughout the area, including the American Heart Association of Northeastern Connecticut, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, West Hartford Rotary, Foodshare, the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, West Hartford Art League, and the American School for the Deaf.

Both Shari and Michael Cantor also have supported the future and given back to UConn in many ways. “Working with the UConn Foundation, they helped create Build Hartford, a UConn course that matches undergraduate and graduate students with Hartford-area start-ups, local businesses, and community organizations, giving them hands-on experience while fostering economic development and encouraging the retention of university talent in the Greater Hartford region. They also have been active supporters of the university’s Students First program, which provides emergency financial assistance to UConn students facing unexpected hardships,” the governor’s announcement noted.

“I am delighted by Mayor Cantor’s appointment,” state Sen. Derek Slap said Friday. “I’ve known Shari for nearly 20 years and am thrilled that she will be the next chair of the Board of Trustees. Shari is a talented, visionary consensus builder who uses her leadership skills to bring people together. I’ve seen her do it as Mayor of West Hartford, helping to make the town one of the best run municipalities in the nation. UConn, as all institutions of higher education, has its challenges but I’m confident Shari can help our beloved Huskies thrive.”

Cantor’s selection as board chair will take effect immediately, the governor said. He thanked Toscano, who had served as chair of the board since 2019.

“Over the past seven years, Dan Toscano’s leadership of the board has helped strengthen UConn and elevate its reputation as one of Lamont said. “I applaud Dan for his 18 years of service on the UConn Board of Trustees and the UConn Foundation Board of Directors, and I am grateful for his commitment and dedication to the university.”

There are 21 members of the UConn Board of Trustees. Twelve are appointed by the governor; two are elected by alumni; two are elected by students; and five are ex-officio, including the governor, UConn Health Board of Directors chair, and the commissioners of Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, and Connecticut State Department of Education. All members of the board of trustees serve as unpaid volunteers.

Radenka Maric remains president of UConn, amid rumors that have surfaced in the news over the past week that she will be leaving prior to the end of her contract in June 2027. CTNewsJunkie reported that rumors that House Speaker Matt Ritter would be named interim president were put to rest this week when he stated publicly that he will remain as House speaker for the next two years and there likely will not be a vacancy in the top UConn position.

In a statement to the Connecticut Mirror this week, Ritter hinted that an extension of Maric’s contract is likely.

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford! Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism.