I am deeply saddened to inform you of the passing of IUP Council of Trustees member Glenn M. Cannon, who died in Pittsburgh on Monday, January 20.

A proud, loyal, and active 1971 graduate of IUP, Mr. Cannon had served on the Council of Trustees since June 2013 and was its secretary. A former member the IUP Alumni Association Board of Directors, he was a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1985, the Presidential Legacy Award for Civic Service in 2010, and an honorary doctor of laws degree, also in 2010. Many of you may remember his remarks during IUP's 9/11 remembrance ceremony in 2015.

“Glenn loved IUP as much as anybody could,” IUP Council of Trustees Chair Sam Smith said. “His commitment to this university and his pride in his alma mater were evident in all that he did. Serving on the Council of Trustees wasn't work for him; it was an honor, and he brought a true spirit of joy to our meetings. Glenn's calm and deliberate manner and his expertise and experience in the field of emergency response brought a much-needed perspective to the challenges that a university faces. He was man of great faith who loved his family, his university, and his nation. He will be missed.”

Cannon spent a lifetime protecting people from harm, starting in Indiana and continuing across the country. He built a national reputation as a leader in disaster preparedness and emergency response, including with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and both the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.

Cannon was proud of his alma mater, and we are proud of him. His experience and guidance were most helpful to me in the work that led to the establishment of the Indiana Area Collaborative Team (I-ACT). I speak for the entire IUP community in expressing sorrow for this loss and in sending our deepest sympathy to his wife, Cathie, an IUP alumna, and to his entire family.

McCabe Brothers funeral home in Pittsburgh is in charge of arrangements. Visitation will be Thursday, January 23, and Friday, January 24, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. each day at the funeral home, 6214 Walnut Street, Shadyside. There, a funeral will be held January 25 at 9:00 a.m., followed at 10:00 a.m. by a Mass of Christian Burial in Sacred Heart Church, 310 Shady Avenue, Pittsburgh. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in Mr. Cannon's name to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation Urology Fund. Online messages and condolences may be made on the funeral home's website.