Continuing the University’s tradition of recognizing professional excellence, outstanding leadership, and volunteer commitment to Fairfield, this year’s Fairfield Awards Dinner will honor Michael Archbold ’82 on April 20 at Cipriani 42nd Street.
Since 1988, the annual Fairfield Awards Dinner has remained a beloved celebration of Fairfield, raising nearly $20 million for the Alumni Multicultural Scholarship Fund and other endowment scholarships, while celebrating the achievements and volunteer service of members of the Fairfield community.
Over the years, Michael Archbold ’82 has held leadership positions at national retailers such as AutoZone, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Talbots. As chief financial officer and later president and chief operating officer of The Vitamin Shoppe, he was instrumental in taking that company public. Archbold later served as CEO for Talbots and GNC Holdings (General Nutrition Centers). He also co-authored the book, Smart Regulation: Changing Speed Bumps into Guardrails, an analysis of business regulations and their effects — both positive and negative — on economic growth.
In 2019, Archbold volunteered as the startup CEO of The Council for Inclusive Capitalism with The Vatican, a collaboration of CEOs and leaders from around the world. The Council, which meets annually with His Holiness Pope Francis, was created in response to the moral imperative to pursue profit in a manner that builds more inclusive and sustainable economies.
Today, Archbold is a trustee for the Committee for Economic Development (CED) of The Conference Board, based in Washington, D.C., where he also serves as the program director for the CFO Council: Fortune 250. Since its inception in 1942, CED has advised on education reform, the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, the Marshall Plan, and The Bretton Woods Agreement. Currently, it focuses on several issues including sustaining democratic institutions, fiscal health, infrastructure, technology and innovation, and healthcare reform.
Archbold has taught classes at the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, and has been a member of the Dolan School’s Advisory Board since 2021. He also sits on the board of Express, Inc., and chairs its audit committee.
Committed to Catholic education and his Catholic faith, Archbold has said that his priorities are “God, family, and country. I try to prioritize these values in my personal and business life.”
For more information on Fairfield Awards Dinner sponsorships, tickets or journal ads, please contact Jen Kane at 203-254-4000 ext. 2464 or jkane1@fairfield.edu.
