NJSO welcomes new trustees Gregory Khost and Roberta Renard

NEWARK, NJ (April 24, 2013)—The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra welcomes two new members of its Board of Trustees. Gregory Khost and Roberta Renard join a board that is charged with establishing policies that assist in the successful implementation of the NJSO’s mission and vision. Khost is managing director of U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management; Renard founded and owns Renard Communications, which publishes Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology.

Khost and Renard each bring philanthropic experience and a love of the arts to the NJSO board, which is made up of business, community and philanthropic leaders from across the state.

“The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra brings incredible programming to the state, providing access to some of the world’s finest musicians and innovative musical education programs,” says Khost. “I am honored to be a part of this tremendous organization and excited to play a role in helping strengthen New Jersey’s cultural resources.”

“Local arts organizations are significant drivers of the state economy, and they help make New Jersey one of the best places to live and visit,” said Bob Doherty, New Jersey president of Bank of America. “Greg’s expertise and commitment to the community will help the NJSO continue to thrive and build on more than 90 years of success.”

Renard says: “I am honored by my appointment to the board. So many of us are leading stressful lives these days. We often lack the time to contemplate the beauty of music and art. I want to do my part to help the people of our state have more ready access to the personal growth and happiness that music can provide.”

TRUSTEE BIOS
Gregory Khost is managing director and greater tri-state regional executive for U.S. Trust. In this role, Khost oversees the wealth management business and leads a team of talented and dedicated professionals. He is responsible for delivering investment management, wealth structuring, trust, estate and philanthropic planning, as well as custom credit and cash management solutions to high net-worth and ultra-high net-worth families. His region spans across New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Additionally, he is the market integration executive for Bank of America in New Jersey.

Prior to joining U.S. Trust, Khost was a founding partner of Central Park Group, LLC, which specializes in research, structuring and distribution of alternative investments. Previously, he spent more than six years working in various roles at Bank of America. Khost joined Banc of America Capital Management in 1999, where he was a senior vice president supporting the private bank’s proprietary investment platform. Following that role, he served as managing director of the regional investment consultant team and was also instrumental in launching the bank’s alternative investment platform. He began his career in the private client group at Lehman Brothers.

A native of Caldwell and product of a family of musicians including a mother who was a professional opera singer and a father who is a jazz trumpet player, Khost began studying music formally at age 6 and performed with numerous New Jersey music organizations, such as the Bloomfield Civic Band and “Reeds, Rhythm and Brass,” as well as jazz musicians like Rufus Reed and Slide Hampton.

Khost is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which he attended on a music scholarship (percussion). He is a Certified Investment Management Analyst and his professional credits include training at the Wharton School of Business and Harvard Business School.

Roberta Renard is the President and CEO of Renard Communications, Inc., a Springfield, New Jersey, company that publishes the trade magazine Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology and its companion website, diversitycareers.com. Both publications focus on workforce and supplier diversity for technical women and minorities. The magazine has become a highly successful vehicle for traditionally underrepresented talent in technology and engineering.

Renard earned a B.A. in history at the University of Denver. After graduation, she was a social worker in Manhattan and taught high school in New Jersey. She attended the Alliance Francaise in Paris and lived in France for several years. Her magazine career began at Hayden (now Penton) Publishing where she started Career Extra, a career-focused recruitment newspaper for engineers, for which she won Hayden’s annual award for “outstanding contribution to the company;” she was the first woman to win that award. After eight years, she moved to a management role at Cahners Publishing, where she created EDN Career News. She founded Renard Communications in 1993.

Renard is involved with a variety of organizations, from educational institutions to cultural and social welfare organizations. Through Renard Communications, she has funded a number of scholarships for minorities and women in technical majors at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and the University of Denver. She has also provided a scholarship to Meadville Lombard Theological Institute in Chicago.

Renard serves on the Board of Visitors of the Albert Dorman Honors College at NJIT. In 2002, Renard Communications endowed an ongoing scholarship fund to the honors college. In 2010, the Albert Dorman Honors College established the Roberta Renard Student Council Office in Fenster Hall. In 2011, the senior class presented her with an award for “exceptional support.” NJIT honored Renard Communications as its 2012 Outstanding Corporate Partner.

Her scholarships have extended to the arts with a major gift contribution for the comprehensive campaign allocated to the NJSO Early Strings Program. She is a supporter of the Greater Newark Conservancy and New Jersey Council for the Humanities; she supports Doctors without Borders, UNICEF, the ASPCA and other animal welfare organizations. A New Jersey native, Renard is a past board member of the Unitarian Church in Summit, where she was the liaison for the social action committee. She contributes to the local organization Summit Helping Its People.
NJSO