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Randolph Nicklas “Randy” Reynolds, a Bellarmine alumnus, former trustee and avid supporter of the university, died on May 17, 2024. He was 82.

 

Born in Louisville, Reynolds graduated from St. George’s School in Newport, R.I., where he wrestled and played football, basketball and tennis. He was inducted into the school’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1998. He then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bellarmine.

 

Reynolds had a long career at Reynolds Metals Company, which was founded by his grandfather, Richard S. Reynolds. Beginning in sales in 1969, he became president of Reynolds International in 1978 and then CEO in 1981. He was elected to the Reynolds Metals Company Board of Directors in 1984. He was also elected executive vice president of Reynolds Metals Company, where several global business units reported to him.

 

Reynolds was appointed by President Bill Clinton to chair the board of the Defense Enterprise Fund, a non-profit organization that assisted in the conversion of defense firms in Russia and other former Soviet states to peaceful purposes, until its completion in April 2006. He served under Secretaries of Defense William Perry (1995) and William Cohen (1999).

 

After retiring from Reynolds Metals Company in 2000, Reynolds helped put together an investment group to take over the Alumina Company of Guinea, in West Africa, and sell their interest to RUSAL, a Russian aluminum company, in November 2002. 

 

He was serving on the board of RUSAL, the world's second largest aluminum company, at the time of his death.

 

He was also serving as president of the Richard S. Reynolds Foundation, the Randolph and Susan Reynolds Foundation and the William G. Reynolds Jr. Charitable Foundation.

 

In December 2023, the Richard S. Reynolds Foundation made a $500,000 gift to Bellarmine to advance the university’s goal to be one of the nation’s best private universities for veterans and military-affiliated students. 

 

The gift supports tuition-based scholarships for military-affiliated students and their dependents and provides housing support and specialized programming through Bellarmine’s Office of Military and Veteran Services (OMVS).

 

Randy Reynolds and the Richard S. Reynolds Foundation had previously supported Bellarmine’s Frazier Stadium, Bellarmine Centro and the Rubel School of Business.

 

“We are saddened to hear of the passing of Randy Reynolds, who has provided tremendous guidance and support to his alma mater,” said Bellarmine President Susan M. Donovan. “We are so grateful for his generosity, which has made—and will continue to make—a huge impact on the lives of our veteran and military-affiliated students and graduates and their dependents.”