Gregory D. Palmer, former director, Information Systems and Computing, client services, campus initiatives for the University of Pennsylvania, died from cancer on November 12 at his home in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. He was 69.

Mr. Palmer was born in Wichita, Kansas. He moved to Pennsylvania and graduated from Penncrest High School in Media in 1968 before going on to receive his bachelor’s degree in business administration from LaSalle University in 1988.

Mr. Palmer was a specialist of communications and networks technology. From 1996 to 1999, he was director of campus computing at Drexel University. 

In 1999, he moved to the University of Pennsylvania’s ISC department, starting out as a temp before moving up quickly to IT technical director of MAGPI (Metropolitan Area Gigapop in Philadelphia for Internet2). While at Penn, he created a high-performance network for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware that was dedicated to the research and education communities. He was also the EUNIS (European University Information Systems) representative for Penn. In this role he helped coordinate what was known as the EUMAX project using the new high-performance networks.

Mr. Palmer is survived by his wife, Judith McLean, senior lecturer and research coordinator in the Biological Basis of Behavior Program; children, Matthew (Erin), Conor and Rory; siblings, Larry, Mark and Brenda; and granddaughter, Anabel.