BGSU receives $3 million to establish entrepreneurship center

Hamilton and Dallas, both of Los Angeles, were on the BGSU campus as featured speakers for the first event in the Bob and Karen Sebo Lecture Series, "Turning Passion into Enterprise: A Seminar for Entrepreneurs," along with B. Thomas Golisano, the 2004 International Philanthropist of the Year. Golisano, founder of Paychex, Inc., is also the owner of the Buffalo Sabres, a National Hockey League team.

The gift will establish the William and Beverly Dallas and Scott and Tracie Hamilton Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and further expand the college's entrepreneurship program, said BGSU President Sidney Ribeau.

The Dallas and Hamilton Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership will ultimately include the following elements:

• University academic programs • Community entrepreneurial leadership programs • Education outreach programs to the general community.

One goal that will be realized almost immediately is the establishment of a professorship within the program. This faculty position will be named the Ernest and Dorothy Hamilton Professorship, after Scott's adoptive parents, BGSU faculty members who are now deceased.

Hamilton, who enrolled in classes at BGSU in 1976, was named an honorary alumnus in 1985 and received an honorary doctor of performing arts degree in 1994.

He learned to skate at the BGSU Ice Arena, won a berth on the U.S. Olympic squad in 1980 and was voted Male Athlete of the Year by the Olympic Committee in 1981. At the 1984 Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo, Hamilton was heavily favored to capture the gold medal and did.

As an amateur, Hamilton won numerous medals and world titles. After graduating from the amateur ranks in 1984, he toured for 15 seasons with Stars on Ice-which he co-created and co-produced-and has independently produced ice shows and covered the Winter Olympics as a commentator for CBS Sports. He also received an Emmy Award for a television special and won praise for his biography, "Landing It."

Hamilton now tours the country as a motivational speaker, discussing his battle overcoming cancer and his career on the ice. He is also involved in numerous charitable endeavors across the country.

Dallas, who graduated magna cum laude from BGSU in 1977, began to make a name for himself as an entrepreneur almost as soon as he graduated. He co-founded and served as chairman and CEO of First Franklin Financial Corp. and co-founded Heritage Bank of Commerce, both in California. Today, Dallas serves as chairman and CEO of Ownit Mortgage Solutions, an industry leader in nonagency residential lending specializing in 100 percent purchase programs.

The entrepreneur earned a juris doctorate from the University of Santa Clara in 1987. In 2002, Dallas received a BGSU Accomplished Graduate Award and also holds the coveted Certified Mortgage Banker designation. He recently retired as chairman of California Lutheran University.

In 2001, Dallas and his partner, Bill Freeman, co-founded B&B Restaurant Ventures with Fox Sports. The New York-based television network launched Fox Sports Grill in Scottsdale, Ariz., with a nationwide rollout planned for later this year and into 2005.

The BGSU entrepreneurship program has grown quickly since first offering a minor in entrepreneurship in fall 2003 to graduating its first students next week. The expansion of the program to include an undergraduate minor was made possible by a $50,000 award from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City, Mo., in 2003. The entrepreneurship minor is open to all interested students, not only business students.

Further development of the entrepreneurship program was made possible this year with gifts from Patrick and Debra Ryan, both 1974 BGSU graduates, and Ron Whitehouse, a 1967 alumnus, and his wife, Sue who attended BGSU.

Craig Jarrett, who will graduate on May 8, is a biology/chemistry/math major with a minor in entrepreneurship. Jarrett, who plans to go to medical school, said, "Having an entrepreneurship minor will help me understand the business side of being a doctor when I open my practice someday." The co-captain of the 2003 Falcon football team, he carried a 4.0 grade point average and was named to the 2003 Academic All-America Team.

BGSU, which is located in northwest Ohio, was founded in 1910. The University is dedicated to providing a wide array of quality academic programs in a learning environment that promotes academic and personal excellence as well as an appreciation of intellectual, ethical and aesthetic values. A state-assisted, residential institution, the University has an enrollment of approximately 20,000 students on two campuses and 839 full-time faculty. More than 200 undergraduate majors and programs are offered, along with master's degree programs in 65 fields and doctoral programs in 16 areas.

(Posted May 03, 2004 )