Author E. Hughes Career Achievement Award
School of Leadership and Education Sciences
Lawrence S. Sykoff '73 (MEd), '88 (EdD)
President, LSS Consulting Group, LLC
Headmaster Emeritus, Ranney School
As former Head of School and appointed Headmaster Emeritus, Lawrence Sykoff's 20-year tenure at Ranney School (1993-2013) saw unprecedented levels of enrollment growth. His leadership was characterized by trust, respect, and a consistently clear vision and strategic outlook and during his tenure, Ranney School sustained a steady trajectory of growth for two decades.
With recognition and reverence for the school's core principles and its founder, Russell G. Ranney, Sykoff led the transformation of the campus. With the formation of an endowment, the construction of new lower, middle and upper school buildings, the expansion of a technological infrastructure, the expansion of curriculum, the creation of a culture of philanthropy, the introduction of new athletic facilities and the broadening of all instructional standards, Ranney School's status reached national recognition.
During his tenure, the Ranney School Board of Trustees created the Lawrence S. Sykoff Fellowship Award in his honor, providing funds for teachers and administrators pursuing advanced study and research. In June 2013, upon his retirement, the Board of Trustees named him headmaster emeritus and established the Lawrence S. Sykoff Leadership Award, presented annually to a graduating senior at commencement. At that time, the Middle and Upper School Academic Building was renamed in his honor and is now known as The Lawrence Sykoff Center for Excellence, as a tribute to his longstanding leadership.
For more than 20 years, Sykoff has been a frequent speaker at state and national educational associations. His seminars cover many diverse topics, including strategic planning and strategic philanthropy, capital campaign management, legal issues in fundraising, leadership transitions, modern-day governance, master campus planning, and endowment strategy and management.
He has received numerous awards, including: the United States Congressional Service Awards for community service and school leadership (May 2003, March 2008, November 2008, July 2010); the New Jersey State Senate Certificates of Commendation for leadership and public service (March 2008 and March 2013); the Council for Support and Advancement of Education's Quarter Century Leadership Award for excellence in leading highly successful philanthropic projects (November 2011); and the Holiday Express Crystal Star Award for helping the underserved and underprivileged, and for helping the organization achieve philanthropic goals (September 2011). He's also been recognized and honored numerous times for actively supporting the Tinton Falls Police Department and the Junior Police Academy (2000-2010) and was an honoree at the Count Basie Center for the Arts for service and leadership to education and the arts (June 2010).
Sykoff is a frequent patron of the arts and an avid golfer. He has run in five national marathons and one NYC mini triathlon. He also guided a blind runner in the NYC Marathon as a volunteer with the Achilles Track Club of New York. Sykoff is also a guitarist in the Docs of Rock, a band that performs primarily for charitable organizations and at regional galas and community events.
