Curtis H. Tearte ’73
Chief Executive Officer, Tearte Associates, Inc.
Chairman, Tearte Family Foundation
Elected Vice Chair of the Board, May 2019
Elected to the Board, May 2014
Curtis Tearte is Chairman and Co-Founder of the Tearte Family Foundation (TFF) and a business transformation technology leader. He worked at IBM for over 30 years, rapidly progressing through executive levels with responsibility for multiple industry sectors across key global revenue generating areas of the company. Mr. Tearte also served on the IBM Worldwide Management Committee, comprised of the top 60 IBM senior executives.
TFF works through partnerships with educational institutions to identify underrepresented students with academic promise and leadership potential to become Tearte Scholars. The Scholars receive leadership training, coaching, and mentoring along with financial awards to complete high school and/or to pursue post-secondary education. Scholars are also provided with global study immersion opportunities or other academic related needs.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brandeis University; a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law; and, completed postgraduate studies in Political Science and International Studies at Howard University and the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School. After serving on the Brandeis Alumni Board, he was elected to the Brandeis Board of Trustees in 2014 and is currently the Vice Chair of the Board. He is also on the Board of the University of Connecticut Foundation. Curtis and his wife, Jylla, reside in Charlotte, North Carolina.