$150,000 Gift from UB School of Management Alumni Association Honors John Shellum

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Alumni Association of the University at Buffalo School of Management has pledged $150,000 to the school for creation of a symposium suite to be named in honor of John H. Shellum, assistant dean of external affairs at the school.

Known for his dedicated efforts to promote the School of Management throughout Western New York and beyond, Shellum has served as assistant dean at the school since 1978, playing a major role in many significant developments during his tenure.

The executive-style suite, to be constructed within the Jacobs Management Center on UB's North (Amherst) Campus, will be used as a meeting and reception site for external affiliates of the school, including its alumni association, the Dean's Advisory Council and other departmental and community groups. In addition, the suite will serve as a classroom for the school's Executive MBA program.

"This gift is a tribute to John Shellum's outstanding service as a devoted administrator and ambassador for the School of Management for these many years," said Michael Brace, president of the school's alumni association. "His work has had a lasting impact on the success of the school and has positively affected all of the school's constituents -- students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members."

Lewis Mandell, dean of the school, added, "It's very special that our alumni association chose to express its generosity in this manner. Their gift assures that John Shellum's legacy of external outreach and service will continue to be an important part of the school's mission."

Among his duties, Shellum is responsible for many of the school's special events, such as its annual Niagara Frontier Executive of the Year dinner, annual golf tournament, commencement exercises and receptions and reunions for the school's 25,000 alumni.

In 1978, Shellum led reorganization of the school's alumni association and has directed the school's alumni activities since. In 1985, he coordinated the move of the School of Management from Crosby Hall on UB's South Campus to its present location in the Jacobs Management Center. He planned the school's 60th anniversary celebration in 1987 and organized the first graduation ceremony for the school's China MBA program, which featured an appearance by former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

"It's been tremendously fulfilling for me professionally and personally to have helped the School of Management become a valuable resource for the community and to see internal and external pride in the school grow over the years," says Shellum. "I am deeply touched by this honor."

The gift is part of a $10 million campaign for the School of Management, which centers on construction of new facilities and programs to support the students and constituents of the school. The school's campaign is a component of UB's $250 million campaign, one of the largest ever conducted by a public university in New York and New England.

Shellum and his wife, Bonnie, are residents of Clarence and have three grown daughters, Lynn, Jaci and Julie. He earned a bachelor's degree in business and a master's degree in business administration from the UB School of Management.

Among his community activities, Shellum is chairman of the board of Beechwood Continuing Care, former chairman and member of the board of the Elizabeth Pierce Olmsted M.D. Center for the Visually Impaired -- formerly the Blind Association of Western New York -- and has been involved with the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County for more than 20 years.