Former trustee honored with Founders’ Day Award

General Alumni Association President, Trustee and Awards Committee Chair Betsy Fleming '86 has announced the selection of Peter Aldrich ’62; P’99, P’03 as the recipient of the 2024 Founders’ Day Award.

Since 1976, the GAA has given the Founders’ Day Award annually to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional service to the Academy over many years. Aldrich launched his long record of volunteer service as chair of the Long Step Forward campaign, which raised $25 million for the Academy from 1967 to 1971. Over the years, he has served as class correspondent, reunion committee member and 50th reunion gift committee and attendance committee chair for the Class of 1962.

Most memorably, Aldrich served on Exeter’s Board of Trustees from 1987 to 1997. As chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee from 1989 to 1991, he steered the Trustees toward a new commitment to preserving and maintaining Exeter’s buildings and other facilities at the highest level possible. Through his clear dedication and commitment to Exeter, he helped shape the school’s fiscal — and physical — future.

Aldrich is the founder and retired chair of AEW Capital Management, one of the nation’s oldest real estate investment advisories, as well as a former chair of the investment holding company AEGIS, LLC, and a former faculty chair of the Research Council on Global Investment of the Conference Board.

In retirement, Aldrich has followed his passion for oil painting, and displays his artwork near his home in Little Compton, Rhode Island, and elsewhere. He and his wife, Widgie, are “distinguished benefactors” of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, where he is also a trustee. Two of their four children, Charley Aldrich ’99 and Amanda Hastings ’03, attended Exeter.

Aldrich will accept the Founders’ Day Award and speak during assembly on Friday, May 17.