March 5, 2024
Dear Campus Community,
It is with deep sadness that I share the news of the untimely passing of Gettysburg College Trustee Troy Datcher ’90.
I do not have the words to describe my grief and the profound loss that all of us have experienced. Troy was a leader, mentor, and friend to so many across our community, and his devotion to our mission has helped to propel the College forward. His absence from our lives will be intimately felt.
Our hearts go out to Troy’s wife, Shannon, and daughter, Nyah; his brother, Kelvin ’92; his mother, Margaret; and their family, friends, and loved ones during this most difficult time.
Following his graduation from Gettysburg College in 1990, Troy built an illustrious career spanning 20 years at Clorox, where he held several leadership-level positions, including Chief Customer Officer and General Manager of a Kingsford subsidiary. In late 2021, Troy transitioned to the cannabis sector, serving as CEO of The Parent Company and most recently as Board Chair of The Gold Flora Corporation. He was an EBONY Power 100 list honoree and, in 2016, he was named among the Top 100 Most Influential Black Leaders in Corporate America by Savoy Magazine.
Troy was elected to the College’s Board of Trustees in 2015. He began his service as Secretary this past June. During his tenure, Troy chaired our Diversity and Inclusion subcommittee with vision, wisdom, and deep personal conviction, and his commitment to social equity and justice will be carried forward by generations to come. In addition, he contributed to a wide range of Board committees that have elevated the work of the entire College, including within our Enrollment and Educational Services, College Advancement, and Finance and Administration divisions.
Above all, Troy loved to give of his time and expertise to our students. A champion of the liberal arts, he would frequently connect with students at the Office of Multicultural Engagement, offer his insights on first-gen and career panels, and attend and speak at marquee campus events, including as our keynote speaker for the 37th Annual Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 2017.
A few years back, I had the opportunity to ask Troy what advice he would give to today’s Gettysburg College students. He responded: Take chances. Don’t look back. Reinvent the box.
May we all honor Troy’s inspiring legacy by heeding his timeless advice as fellow Gettysburgians and by living the values he embodied of activism, hard work, creativity, generosity, and kindness.
Sincerely,
Bob Iuliano
President