Founder of Priceline; Former CEO of Platform Specialty Products Speak at Commencement Ceremonies

Jay Walker, the founder of Priceline, and Dan Leever '99 EMBA, former CEO of MacDermid and Platform Specialty Products, delivered the keynote addresses at two University of New Haven Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 13.

Walker, one of America's best-known business inventors and entrepreneurs, has founded multiple successful startup companies that today serve more than 100 million customers in 15 different industries, spoke at the morning ceremony for students graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences and the Tagliatela College of Engineering.

He also was awarded an honorary doctor of business administration at the ceremony.

The following individuals were also awarded honorary degrees at the morning ceremony:

• Prince Abdullah Al-Saud, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's former ambassador to the United States, was awarded an honorary doctor of public administration degree.
• Janet Jensen, the founder of Human Investments, a foundation that supports survivors of sexual assault, received an honorary doctor of humane letters.
• Louis F. Tagliatela, Jr. principal of Franklin Communities, an affiliate of Franklin Enterprises, a family-owned business in Greater New Haven, was conferred an honorary doctor of business administration degree.

Leever spoke at the afternoon ceremony for students graduating from the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences and the College of Business.

He also received an honorary doctor of business administration degree, as did Dolores J. Ennico '82 MBA, chief human resources officer at Olin Corporation, and David J. Peterson '88, president and CEO of 4 Media Online, a leading credit card transaction processing company for online retailers. Both Ennico and Peterson are members of the University of New Haven's Board of Governors.

Walker has founded multiple successful startup companies that today serve more than 100 million customers in 15 industries. The executive chairman of Walker Innovation.  Walker is the world's 10th most patented living inventor and a named inventor on more than 650 U.S. and international patents.

Class of 2017 Commencement Photos