Corporation Taps Heiskell Of Time, Inc.

The Corporation yesterday elected Andrew Heiskell, chairman of the Board of Overseers and chairman of the board of Time, Inc., to be a Fellow of Harvard College. He is 64 years old.

George Putnam, treasurer of the University and a Corporation member, said yesterday Heiskell's business expertise will help guide the Corporation through the University's upcoming five-year, $250 million capital campaign.

The Corporation consists of President Bok, Putnam, and five Fellows of the College, and is the University's chief executive authority. Heiskell fills a vacancy created by John M. Blum, professor of American history at Yale, who left the Corporation in July.

"We wanted someone who could be helpful with the fund drive, someone who could be helpful with the New York business community, and we also wanted somebody who knows a lot about Harvard," Putnam said. "He's a forceful kind of person," he added.

The Corporation considered whether to replace Blum with an academic or to maintain its mix of two lawyers, two businessmen, and two academics, but decided that during the capital campaign the extra businessman would help, Putnam said. He added that Heiskell would probably not serve for more than five or six years.

Colman M. Mockler, Jr. '52, a top executive of the Gillette Company in Boston, will replace Heiskell as president of the Overseers.

The Overseers accepted Heiskell's appointment and selected Mockler Sunday. Mary E. Procter '63, an Overseer who chaired the meeting, said the Overseers' debate on Heiskell focused on whether to replace an academic with a businessman.

Ivory Tower

"Derek Bok said he feels that because he is from academic circles he has less frequent opportunities to get to know businessmen," Procter said.

Robert G. Stone, Jr. '45, a New York businessman, was the last appointment to the Corporation, in 1976. President Bok and Heiskell were unavailable for comment last night.

The Corporation selects its own new members, subject to Overseers approval. The Overseers are elected by alumni.

Heiskell has been chief executive officer of Time since 1969. He studied in France, Germany and Switzerland, and spent a year at the Business School. He founded the National Urban Coalition in 1967.