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University of Hawai'i |
(808) 956-8856 Telephone |
For Immediate Release: |
July 21, 2000 |
Contact: David McClain, Dean, College of Business Administration 956-8377
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| $1 million gift to the College of Business Administration establishes a Chair of Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Information Technology. |
The University of Hawai`i Board of Regents today established a Chair of Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Information Technology at the UH Manoa College of Business Administration. The endowed chair will be supported by a $1 million gift to the college.
The donor worked most of his adult life in California before returning recently to Hawai`i. The donor and his wife, who have asked to remain anonymous, said they wish to assist the university in preparing students to utilize and profit from the New Economy. They are firm believers in education and the university's role in improving Hawai`i's business climate.
University of Hawai,i President Kenneth P. Mortimer said, "The intent of this generous gift is to establish a chair in the Department of Marketing in the College of Business Administration. The chair will play a central role in achieving one of the college's major objectives: to become a nationally recognized leader in the theory and application of information technology to marketing problems, especially in the creation of new businesses and the adaptation of existing firms to the emerging e-business environment."
David McClain, dean and First Hawaiian Bank Distinguished Professor of Leadership and Management at the college, said, "This new chair will give us a significant boost as we gear up to help move the state more rapidly into the New Economy. The chair holder will also serve as a resource, liaison and ambassador to the business community and as a resource for the college's doctoral, MBA and executive development programs."
Chair of the Department of Marketing Professor Dana Alden said, "We are truly excited about this gift and what it will mean to the lives of our students and the people of our state. We provide students with business know-how that enables them to compete with graduates from top professional schools around the world. We have added high tech courses such as Internet marketing, database marketing and software tools in marketing. Having this endowed chair will provide us with additional resources to bring in innovative thinking and experience to the marketing program."
This is the second such gift received by the college in the last two months and the third in just over a year. In late May, a $1.1 million gift established the Barry and Virginia Weinman Chair of Entrepreneurship and E-Business at the College and provided initial startup funds for it's new Center for Entrepreneurship and E-Business. In April of 1999, a $1 million endowment from the First Hawaiian Foundation set up the endowed chair held by Dean McClain.
