Jim Finn ’70, a champion of the College and the Kenyon Review who served for years as a trustee for both, died Oct. 14. Known for his generosity and philanthropy, he joined the Kenyon Board of Trustees in 2012, five years after he began serving on the literary magazine’s board. He was an active member of the two boards at the time of his death.
“Jim was unwavering in his support of the College, and the dedication he showed in making it better was an inspiration to all of us,” said President Julie Kornfeld. “Following my arrival at Kenyon, he was a tremendous source of support and guidance and always made himself available for items that impacted the College, both big and small. I will miss his passion for all things Kenyon, especially the Review, and the unique ways that he connected with — and contributed to — the community here.”
Born on Nov. 5, 1947, in Cincinnati, Finn’s family moved in 1958 to Columbus, where he attended St. Charles Preparatory School. At Kenyon, he majored in history and graduated in 1970. He went on to receive an MBA at Harvard Business School in 1974 and later worked in partnership with his brothers in the family business.
Finn joined the Kenyon Review’s board of trustees in 2007 and went on to serve as its co-chair from 2012-2016. Over the years, he supported the publication in many ways, donating to its endowed fellows program, funding scholarships for young writers, and helping to underwrite the renovation of Finn House — named for his parents, John and Mary — which included the addition of the Cheever Room and made it a suitable new home for the publication.
David Lynn ’76 H’23 P’14, professor emeritus of English and editor emeritus of the Kenyon Review, said that Finn was a positive force at the magazine who contributed to its strong sense of community.
“Jim was the sweetest, kindest, most generous guy,” he said. “He cared about good writing, he cared about literature, but he also believed in the Review’s reputation in terms of strengthening the whole College.”
He added that Finn was an enthusiastic backer of the Kenyon Review Fellows program.
“Their achievements have been astounding, and Jim loved the educational mission as well as the fun of getting them involved,” he said.
As a College trustee, Finn was an active member of numerous committees over the years, including Academic Affairs, Kenyon in the World, Strategic Planning, Student Experience, and Inclusion and Equity. He volunteered as a class agent, served on his class’s 50th reunion steering committee, and was part of the Our Path Forward to the Bicentennial campaign’s leadership committee.
“Jim Finn was the loveliest man, always someone I looked forward to seeing, whether it was in Gambier for College board meetings or in New York for Kenyon Review meetings and events,” said Aileen C. Hefferren ’88 H’12, chair of the board of trustees. “I loved his warm smile and appreciated his care for others. Looking out from the Kenyon Inn at Finn House, I found it striking that he named the gorgeous Finn House not for himself but for his parents. I thought that spoke volumes about him as a person. I will miss him dearly.”
Finn was generous in his giving, donating to endowed scholarships and the Kenyon Fund and acting as an early leader in the Third Century Founders effort, announced this year, that seeks to raise $100 million for Kenyon’s endowment in two years.
For his many contributions, Finn received the Alumni Council’s Distinguished Service Award in 2015.
Outside of the College, he had diverse hobbies and interests, including golf, fly fishing, reading, whitewater rafting and travel, which he and his wife, Susan, would often connect to food by learning to cook new dishes while traveling the world together.
Finn is survived by his wife, Susan; stepson, John (Kristan); siblings John (Bebe), Mike (Janet), and Maureen (Tom Withgott); and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service took place Oct. 23.