Donors’ names bestowed on campus spaces

Several longtime University donors were honored by the Bowling Green State University Board of Trustees May 4 with the naming of campus facilities in recognition of their support. The board approved the naming of two areas in the soon-to-be-renovated Robert W. and Patricia A. Maurer Center, the new home for the College of Business, and an area in the Stroh Center, BGSU’s convocation center and basketball arena.

The Joe and Kate McAleese Dean’s Conference Room honors the longtime support of the couple, who have donated to the College of Business as well as the Falcon Club Scholarship and Success Fund, the Ice Hockey Enhancement Fund, the Stroh Convocation Center Fund and the Excellence Fund for BGSU. Joe McAleese, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from the University, was the 2009 recipient of the Accomplished Graduate Award and has served on the Leadership Council for the College of Business since 2015 and previously on its International Advisory Board. He is chairman, CEO, and president of Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC in Elyria, Ohio.

The Brent B. Nicholson Collaboration Suite is named in memory of the late faculty member in the business college, an alumnus who returned to teach after also receiving a law degree and played a key role in establishing the entrepreneurship program. The naming acknowledges a gift to the college by his father, Donald, also a BGSU graduate, and a staunch supporter of the University. He has established two scholarships (one named for his son) and supported numerous funds, including the Student Union Capital Improvement Fund, the Alumni Center Facility Endowment and College of Business. He retired in 1986 from FirstEnergy Corp. as CFO and senior vice president for finance.

The Stroh Center, which houses the Schmidthorst Pavilion, will now also be home to Schmidthorst Heritage Hall. The naming honors Allen and Carol Schmidthorst in recognition of their generous support of the University. Allen Schmidthorst also holds an honorary doctorate of business administration from BGSU in recognition of his leadership gift for the Stroh Center and his ongoing support. He attended BGSU in the mid-1950s before beginning his career and becoming a longtime leader in the hotel and restaurant businesses.