James M. McKenna '66 Endowed Scholarship

James M. McKenna '66 is a distinguished finance executive.  Following graduation from IONA, he served on active duty with the US NAVY, stationed with a unique Naval security detachment at the National Security Agency (NSA).  Following his Naval service, he returned to NYC and continued his career working for Arthur Young & Co.  In 1973, after working for five years (5) at Arthur Young and becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) he was recruited and accepted a position with CBS, Inc.  He dedicated nearly four (4) decades to CBS starting in the Corporate Finance Department and being promoted to several other positions along the way.  Some of the more interesting positions were:  VP and General Manager, CBS SPORTS; Senior VP of Operations and Engineering, where his responsibilities included managing the New York Studios, Washington Studios and the Los Angeles Studios and finally culminating his career with CBS in his position as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), VP Planning, Administration and Business Affairs, CBS NEWS. Throughout his tenure, as CBS NEWS covered several wars, presidential elections, major news stories as well as introducing several iterations of the CBS EVENING NEWS and CBS MORNING NEWS, he played a pivotal role in steering the financial and operational strategies, contributing significantly to CBS NEWS growth and stability.

Beyond his corporate achievements, Jim remained actively engaged in the media community through his involvement with the INTERNATIONAL RADIO AND TELEVISION SOCIETY (IRTS). He served on the Board for 15 years and was Treasurer for 12 of those years.  In addition, he served for 6 years as Director with the NATIONAL ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES (NATAS).  He served as Chairman of the Finance and Compensation Committees and as a member of the Audit Committee. His continued contributions underscore his dedication to advancing the field of television and sciences.  Moreover, Jim served on several non-profit Boards and Clubs, mostly serving as Treasurer and/or President.  Some of the Boards were:  Lawrence Country Day School;  Lawrence Beach Club;  The Rockaway Hunting Club;  Woodway Country Club; Jonathan's Landing Golf Club;  Jonathan's Landing POA;  The First Tee of Connecticut and The Westchester Senior Golf Association.

Jim has been a steadfast supporter of Iona University, generously giving back to his alma mater through both time and resources. Over the years, he was instrumental in launching a Distinguished Visiting Professorship and the "Conversation With" series, which featured legendary CBS personnel including:  Don Hewitt; Mike Wallace; Lesley Stahl and Steve Kroft bringing invaluable industry insight to the Iona community.  He also hosted numerous alumni events at the CBS Broadcasting Center, helping to strengthen the bond between Iona graduates and the broadcasting world.

In 2016, he and his wife Dale, established the James M. McKenna '66 Endowed Scholarship, aimed at supporting deserving students in their pursuit of higher education.