Maurers make visionary investment

By Matt Markey ’76

A transformational gift from Robert and Patricia Maurer of Bowling Green will provide major support for a new facility for the College of Business at BGSU. This state-of-the-art building, which will be a showcase for the future of education and a stunning addition to the campus, will be named the Robert W. and Patricia A. Maurer Center in recognition of their longtime support and service to the University.

The Maurer family, owners of a broad portfolio of residential and commercial properties throughout northwest Ohio, was eager to play a role in bringing to reality the vision of a cutting-edge facility for Bowling Green State University business students.

“We’ve always been involved in buildings, so that certainly appealed to us,” said Robert Maurer, a 1965 accounting graduate who went on to earn a law degree. “But more than anything, we’re convinced that BGSU is on the right track. We have great confidence in the leadership team.”

The Maurers, who have been prominent in the Bowling Green community for many years, have generously supported the University through a variety of philanthropic ventures. They see the construction of a new CBA building as vital to the long-range plans to keep BGSU at the forefront in educating the coming generations of business leaders.

“This is certainly essential, as an investment in the future,” Bob Maurer said. “We have no reservations about supporting this endeavor and helping see to it that Bowling Green State University has the best facilities to educate its students. You can’t overemphasize the importance of that.”

With its high-tech classrooms, atrium gathering place, student success center, dean’s suite, and a wide range of meeting areas and other amenities, Bob Maurer expects the new CBA to keep BGSU at the forefront in educating business students. The College of Business has been ranked among the top business programs by U.S. News and World Report, the Princeton Review and Bloomberg Businessweek, while the accounting program is ranked first in Ohio by Bloomberg.

“They’re obviously doing a great job already, so putting this new facility on campus will just add to that, and make the business education we offer at Bowling Green that much stronger,” he said. “We will continue to recruit the best students and instructors, and put them in a fine facility. We see that as a very wise investment.”

Bob Maurer, who lettered in wrestling at BGSU, and his wife Patricia, who also attended the University, are members of The Presidents Club, the 1910 Society, the Cornerstone Club and Falcon Club.

In 2007, they were presented with the Friends of the Library Award for their strong support of the Library. Bob Maurer has served on the Board of Directors of the BGSU Foundation, Inc., and was a member of the Advocates Board for the Library. He now serves as a member of the Leadership Council for University Libraries.

The Maurers established the Maurer Family Endowed Professorship in Accounting in 2008, awarding the professorship to a faculty member who has an outstanding reputation in teaching and scholarship.

“We’re proud to support the Bowling Green community and we’re proud to be supportive of our university,” Bob Maurer said. “We think that is very important, and essential to the success of both.”

The Maurers have also provided support to Phi Delta Theta fraternity, of which Bob Maurer was a member at BGSU. They have also supplied assistance to the Learning Commons and supported the band uniform fund. In the Bowling Green community, the Maurers have been supporters of the Wood County Library and the American Red Cross.

Robert Maurer said the creation of a new facility for the College of Business comes at a time when business is a rapidly changing field with a worldwide focus.

“In today’s business environment, you’re either going forward or you’re falling behind, and we need to provide the coming generations of students with the best facility possible,” he said.

The Maurers see the business world as a rapidly evolving arena, and one in which Bowling Green State University is constantly pushing to offer the latest innovations in modern education.

“We’re excited about what has happened in recent years, and that excitement continues with this new College of Business building. The more they can bring the business education we offer as close as possible to what the business people see in today’s age, then the better prepared our students will be for the business world of tomorrow,” he said. “This new building will provide a great foundation for that.”