Development builds partnerships

Alumni support technology and innovation at Kellogg
Three key gifts are allowing the Kellogg School of Management’s Center for Research in Technology & Innovation to advance its mission. The gifts, from John Funk ’93, Microsoft Corp., and Teradata, a division of NCR Corp., will support both the activities of the center and the research of Kellogg Professors Mohan Sawhney, Ranjay Gulati and Mark Jeffery.

“These gifts are invaluable in helping the Center further the Kellogg School’s thought leadership in technology and innovation,” Sawhney said.

John Funk, CEO of Quris Inc., established the Funk Research Fellowships to support PhD research in the areas of interactive marketing, marketing communications and permission-based marketing. The fellowships will be available to Kellogg PhD students, as well as other Northwestern doctoral students. Funk said teaming up with Kellogg was the perfect opportunity: “I made the gift because much of my success in my prior venture was anchored in the relationships and the knowledge of and exposure to business that I gained at Kellogg,” he explained.

Also interested in the customer relationship is Clinical Assistant Professor of Technology Mark Jeffery, who is working closely with Teradata. The company, a global leader in enterprise data warehousing and enterprise analytic technologies, has made a significant commitment to Kellogg in support of Jeffery’s research. Jeffery said Teradata’s contribution is valuable not only because it supports the Technology Industry Management Group’s research, but also for the relationship that has been established with company executives.

Microsoft, another key donor to the center, has employed Kellogg alumni for years. Sawhney said a research grant for best practices in product management will help develop a better understanding of the practices that drive excellence in this area, with special emphasis on technology firms.

Generous class gifts contribute $471,408 to Kellogg
Kellogg’s 2002 graduates left a legacy through their impressive class gift efforts. Graduates of the full-time program raised $168,455, with a participation rate of 74 percent. The gift will be used to establish signage on the northwest and southwest sides of the Jacobs Center. The Managers’ Program broke its previous gift record by raising $115,953. The class will commission a stained-glass mural for the first floor foyer at the Chicago campus.

The Executive Master’s Program raised $187,000 from its three graduating classes. EMP-49 raised $60,675, which will be used to provide Internet access in the James L. Allen Center rooms. EMP-50 graduates raised $67,700 to name the Bob Duncan Classroom after one of the program’s most beloved professors. EMP-51 raised the bar for future classes by donating $113,200 for the EMP Enrichment Fund for leadership seminars.

Reunion Weekend set for May 2003
Plans are being made for members of nine Kellogg classes to gather in Evanston May 2–4 for Reunion Weekend. This year’s reunion will include the classes of ’43, ’53, ’63, ’73, ’78, ’83, ’88 ’93 and ’02. Visit the Kellogg reunion Web site for a preliminary schedule and lodging information. To help plan the reunion, call Hwashing Cheng Heyworth at 847-467-6386, or send her an email message.

Strong year for Kellogg fund-raising efforts — but many challenges remain
Kellogg has raised more than $14 million in 2001-02 from alumni, friends, corporations and foundations. This support is essential to Kellogg, said Assistant Dean and Director of Development Liz Howard ’93. “We look to our alumni and friends to partner with us to help Kellogg achieve great success,” Howard said.

Although corporate gifts declined from 2000-01 levels, in the current economy many companies chose to continue their support of Kellogg. Dean Dipak C. Jain said, “All of our partners are committed to Kellogg’s growth and we appreciate the financial gifts so many of them have made to the school this year.”