NEWS OF NOTE

College launches Building for Business Building Complex Campaign.

Those of you who walked through the lobby of the Ryder Business Building this spring might have noticed, for a few months, a countdown banner to the big day: March 10, 2005-the day the College officially launched the public phase of its Building for Business Building Complex Campaign. And if you've been in the building since that day, you probably have seen pictures of what the new building complex-due to be completed in 2007-will look like and glanced at the display rack with brochures describing its features and asking you to contribute so that you can have your name on a "Wall of Stars" to be displayed in the new facilities.

More than 400 people-faculty, staff, students, alumni, key donors, members of the media, and friends of the College-came to celebrate the launch-themed "An Evening of Stars"-on March 10th . Attendees were given blinking stars and a campaign brochure at registration, which fronted the "Walk of Stars" denoting significant contributors during the "silent" phase of the Campaign.

Alumnus Ivan Taylor, anchor for Telemundo 51, served as master of ceremonies. President Modesto Maidique spoke about the growth of the University and the role the College has played in propelling its success.

College Executive Dean Joyce Elam addressed the College's need for a "home" and described how the building complex will realize a dream conceived by a team of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and architects from Kohn Pederson Fox, New York, and BEA International, Miami. She told the crowd that the College has raised $8.3 million of the $15 million it needs to secure from donations to make this dream come to fruition-and that means $6.7 million is still needed in private support.

As students, you can help. If you haven't yet picked up a brochure or want to learn more about what you can do, stop by the Ryder Business Building lobby and/or contact Annabelle Rojas, rojasa@fiu.edu or call her at 305-348-3339. Or, you can go to the College's web site, http://cba.fiu.edu and make your pledge online.

At the March 10 celebration, Elam thanked the key donors who had contributed to the Campaign to date:

  • R. Kirk Landon, in recognition of whose gift we named the Landon Undergraduate School of Business
  • Alvah H. Chapman, Jr., whose gift led to the naming of the Chapman Graduate School of Business
  • Ocean Bank, whose gift will be honored with the naming of the Ocean Bank Auditorium in Academic Hall
  • Bank of America, whose gift will be honored on the new Bank of America Career Services Center, to be housed in Student Hall
  • Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra, LLP, whose gift will be recognized in Academic Hall by naming a 40-seat Collaboration Classroom the Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra, LLP Classroom
  • Wachovia Foundation
  • Armando Codina
  • Guarded Networks, Inc.
  • Regions Bank
  • Graham Family
  • Augusto ("Gus") Vidaurreta and his wife, Jeanie

Following Elam 's remarks, the audience was treated to a virtual tour of the new building complex, which is available for you to view online. Just follow the link above to see this incredible tour.

Culminating the festivities was a dinner provided by Outback Steakhouse and a concert featuring the University's Jazz Big Band with Nestor Torres. Guests were provided with a Tortuga Rum Cake, courtesy of alumnae Monique Hamaty-Simmonds, as they left the event.

"The evening was a tremendous success," Elam said.