NYSID Trustee Thomas N. Armstrong III dies at 78

New York, NY - June 22, 2011 - New York School of Interior Design  Board of Trustee member Thomas N. Armstrong III died Monday in Manhattan.  He was 78.

Armstrong began his tenure on the Board in 2000 and served until his death.  His commitment to the School was unwavering, as was his generosity to both students and faculty.  In addition to his duties as a Trustee, Armstrong frequently participated in juries and critiques of student work.  He also sat on the Board of Trustee’s Institutional Advancement Committee.

Armstrong enjoyed a distinguished career as the leader of four major museums, each the preeminent institution in a specific area of American art:  the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and The Andy Warhol Museum.

Armstrong trained as a painter at Cornell University, where he subsequently served as a Trustee.  He worked eight years for Stone & Webster, a Manhattan engineering and securities firm, before returning to graduate school in order to prepare for the museum field. He wrote many books and articles in association with museum projects and was often recognized for his professional accomplishments, including an honorary doctorate from Hamilton College.
 
In addition to Armstrong’s work on the New York School of Interior Design Board, he also served on the advisory committees of Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens and Winterthur Museum & Country Estate. He was an Honorary Trustee of the National Building Museum and Chairman of the Board of the Garden Conservancy.

NYSID President Christopher Cyphers said "Tom's passing is a genuine loss for the NYSID community. His involvement with the institution went far beyond his committment as a Trustee and he will be greatly missed by his fellow Board members, as well as NYSID's staff, faculty, and student body."