Behind every great school, there lies a committed alumni base working diligently to move it forward. At Blair, there is no finer example of that commitment than Trustee Hobart “Hoby” Van Deusen ’54. For decades, Hoby and his wife, Nancy, have been fixtures during Alumni Weekend and Trustee meetings, bringing a rare blend of institutional wisdom, professional ingenuity and warmth to every occasion. While many alumni remain “loyal,” Hoby has redefined the term, transforming a family legacy into a lifetime of service that has quite literally reshaped the Academy over the past seven decades.

When Hoby arrived on campus in the fall of 1952, he was continuing the tradition begun by his father, Hobart M. Van Deusen ’29, and his great-uncle, Franklin E. Van Ness, Class of 1868. At Blair, Hoby’s teachers remarked, “In his quiet way, he has made a good record at Blair both in and out of the classroom.” He was a poet for the ACTA, a contributor to The Blair Breeze, and a member of the international society, choir and dramatics club. When he wasn’t in the darkroom with the camera club, he managed the varsity basketball and golf teams—a precursor to the multifaceted leadership he would later provide as a Trustee.

After graduating from Dartmouth in 1958 and earning an MBA from NYU, Hoby excelled in finance, eventually heading the estate department at JPMorgan Chase & Company. He later used his financial acumen in education, serving as the director of bequests and planned giving at Columbia University, honing an expertise that has helped steer Blair’s investment in its financial future and physical plant.

While Hoby was always a supporter, his 50th Reunion marked a turning point. Sensing that Blair’s progress depended on deeper alumni engagement, he seized the opportunity, rallying the Class of 1954 to record-breaking attendance and giving. This surge of energy earned him the inaugural Alumni Volunteer of the Year award in 2004 and, subsequently, Alumnus of the Year in 2009. His increased involvement at Blair led to the Board of Governors, where he served as president, and to his appointment to the Board of Trustees in 2007. He has volunteered his time and expertise to the Education and School Life, Advancement, Buildings and Grounds, and Budget Committees and continues to serve the Class of 1954 as a rep, diligently sharing the latest news in each issue of the Blair Bulletin.

Hoby and Nancy’s philanthropic support has helped transform many areas of campus, but none more so than the Class of 1954 New Horizons Scholarship, The Hobart and Nancy Van Deusen Tennis Fund, and faculty housing. Even while living in Watertown and Lakeville, Connecticut—within a stone’s throw of Taft and Hotchkiss School—Hoby’s heart never left Blairstown. With generous lead gifts, the Van Deusen’s legacy is permanently etched into Blairstown’s Main Street with the addition of Hoby House in 2022 and the soon-to-be Nancy House next door, two historic buildings that have been transformed into vital faculty residences. 

For more than seven decades, Hoby’s relationship with Blair has been defined by loyalty, leadership and love for his alma mater. As a student, Hoby embraced every opportunity Blair offered, and in the years since, he has ensured that the students who follow are offered those same advantages and more. For his lifetime of service and leadership, Blair Academy proudly bestows its highest honor—the Citation of Merit—upon Hobart Van Deusen.