Scott Lerman

Current Position, Organizations:
CEO, Lucid Brands (www.lucidbrands.com) /
Founding Faculty, SVA MPS Branding Program / Artist / Author

Relevant Skills:

Scott has both directly managed and advised diverse organizations—from startups to global leaders. He has significant experience in helping organizations honor their pasts while evolving to stay vital and relevant. Scott has proven skills in facilitating meaningful discussion, synthesizing complex information, fostering engagement, and communicating clearly. He has a deep familiarity with Cooper Union and the Consent Decree.

Professional Qualifications: 

Scott Lerman has built his professional reputation by helping organizations like Caterpillar, American Express, The Washington Center, 3M, DuPont, the MTA, and Harley-Davidson navigate critical moments in the evolution of their missions and brands.

As President of Siegel & Gale and President and CEO of Enterprise IG, Americas (now The Brand Union), Scott is credited with having developed many of the strategic and creative frameworks used to define organizations and their brands. In 2013, How Press published his comprehensive guide, Building Better Brands. Scott founded his current firm, Lucid Brands, in 2005.

Scott is a founding faculty member of the first (and still only) masters degree program in branding, at SVA.

Scott has also been a key strategic and communications advisor to the Committee to Save Cooper Union (CSCU) and was an integral part of CSCU’s lawsuit settlement negotiation team.

Personal Statement:

The future of Cooper Union will be determined over the next few years. While we have won agreement that Cooper Union must be free, if it can be free, our struggle is far from over. It is critical that we, as alumni, are vigilant in ensuring that the board of trustees properly implements the reforms dictated by the Consent Decree and that we become seriously involved in the effort to advance Cooper Union and restore its tuition-free mission. That’s why I am running for one of the new alumni trustee positions.

What lies ahead is a strategic, fiscal, diplomatic, communications, and creative challenge. A practical solution will have to emerge from a coalition of trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and others. I believe that my management and consulting expertise, writing and teaching experience, and understanding of the school, Consent Decree, and cy pres petition make me a strong candidate to help make that happen.

Additional Information:

• Business leader and brand consultant. Has led world-class brand and identity firms and advised dozens of great organizations as they have pursued ambitious futures.

• Endorsed by the CSCU for alumni trustee. Strategic and communications advisor to the Committee to Save Cooper Union. Part of the CSCU negotiating team. Deep understanding of the current situation.

• Believes in Peter Cooper’s vision and Cooper Union’s mission. Cooper Union must find a way to be free again.