Douglas L. Bayer, of Bellevue, has been elected to the Knox College Board of Trustees.

Bayer received a bachelor’s degree in physics at Knox in 1966.

Bayer joined Microsoft in 1994, serving as a manager and director of software development, and most recently as a software security architect. Previously he spent 17 years in computer systems research for Bell Laboratories and later served as director of software development for The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation.

Bayer and his wife Maria recently pledged $1 million to create the Bayer Faculty Chair in Earth Sciences, a new position in Knox’s Environmental Studies Department.

Founded in 1837, Knox is a national liberal arts college in Galesburg, Ill.