A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

FOR RELEASE                            Contact: Stephanie Babyak March 1, 1994                                     (202) 401-2311

KORNFELD TO HEAD STUDENT AID OFFICE

U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley today named Leo Kornfeld to head the Student Financial Assistance Office.

As deputy assistant secretary in the Office of Postsecondary Education, Kornfeld will oversee the $10.3 billion federal student grant and loan programs. Kornfeld also will supervise the transition from the current Federal Family Education Loan Program to the new direct loan program under which the federal government, rather than private lenders, will issue loans to students beginning July 1.

"Leo Kornfeld knows the student aid programs and possesses strong management skills," said David Longanecker, assistant secretary for postsecondary education. "These strengths, coupled with his public and private sector experience, make him a tremendous asset to our team."

Since 1989, Kornfeld served as vice president for enrollment planning at Pace University, New York, N.Y., where he directed financial aid programs, student admissions, institutional research, and computer systems.

From 1986-1989, Kornfeld helped establish and served as president of True Basic, Inc., Hanover, N.H., a computer software firm serving high schools and higher education institutions.

As president of Information Science, Inc., Montvale, N.J. (1980-1986), he successfully converted a nearly bankrupt computer software company into a public company.

He served as deputy commissioner for student financial assistance as a Carter administration appointee from 1977 to 1980 in the then- Department of Health, Education and Welfare. For his work, then-Secretary Califano presented him with the department's "Superstar of HEW" award.

He served as group vice president of Automatic Data Processing, Clifton, N.J. (1972-1977) and was a senior partner at Cresap, McCormick and Paget, New York management consultants, from 1957-1972.

Kornfeld earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Michigan, and a second bachelor's degree and master's from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He also has participated in special programs at Harvard University. He is the author of numerous articles and the book, "How to Beat the High Cost of Learning" (1981).