Alan Wurtzel

Alan L. Wurtzel is chairman emeritus of Circuit City Stores, Inc. During Mr. Wurtzel's tenure as CEO of Circuit City Stores (1973 to 1986), it was among the best performing companies on the New York Stock Exchange and that accomplishment is recognized and analyzed in Jim Collins' best-selling book, Good to Great. Mr. Wurtzel is also a director of Dollar Tree Stores, Inc., and from 1989 to 1996 he served on the board of Office Depot. In addition, he serves on the boards of five privately held companies, two of which provide technology services to public education.

Mr. Wurtzel has concentrated many of his non-business activities on higher education and K-12 education reform. He is a trustee emeritus of Oberlin College (1989 to 1996) and has been a member of the board of visitors at Virginia Commonwealth University (1985 to 1992), a member of the National Skills Standards Board, and a member of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (1999 to 2003).

At the K-12 level he was a member of the Virginia Board of Education in the years it adopted the current Standards of Learning and actively participated in their formulation and adoption. He is currently a member of the board of the National Center for Education. Finally, Mr. Wurtzel is a member of the P-16 Council that is charged with coordinating Virginia education policies and programs from Pre-K through college and graduate school.

In the not-for-profit arena, Mr. Wurtzel is a trustee of The Phillips Collection where he has been active in developing and spearheading The Phillips Collection's expansion plans.

Mr. Wurtzel served as Chairman of the Council and its Executive Committee from 2005 through 2007.

Mr. Wurtzel received an A.B. from Oberlin College and a J.D. from Yale Law School.