OCTOBER 30, 2007 — A gift from one of Miami University’s trustees and his wife is designed to enhance the teaching of entrepreneurship in the Farmer School of Business. David and Vicki Herche of Cincinnati have committed $1 million to establish an endowed assistant professor chair within the Miami University Entrepreneurship Institute.
In the selection process for the David and Vicki Herche Endowed Assistant Professor Chair, preference will be given to candidates who have an interest in teaching minority entrepreneurship. It is also hoped that the position will attract a minority candidate, who, in turn, would help recruit more minority students to the program.
“This gift, from our longtime friends the Herches, helps us make significant progress toward attracting and retaining the very best junior faculty members to the Farmer School of Business,” said Dean Roger L. Jenkins.
The Herches’ gift is the latest in a series of endowments established in response to an innovative initiative by Richard T. and Joyce B. Farmer. In April 2005, the Farmers created a fund of $5 million to be used in establishing endowed chairs to attract promising teacher-scholars to tenure-track positions in the Farmer School. To encourage other donors to participate, the Farmers provide $500,000 in matching monies from their fund for every $1 million endowed chair gift from another source, establishing one Farmer Endowed Assistant Professor Chair for every two established by other donors.
David Herche graduated from Miami University in 1972 with a degree in Accounting. He began his career with Arthur Andersen and then, in 1983, joined Enerfab, a company that engineers and fabricates steel products and food-grade linings for the food and beverage, chemical and pharmaceutical, and power and utility industries. He purchased the company in 1988. Under his guidance, Cincinnati-based Enerfab has become an industry leader.
He is a Trustee of Miami University and serves on the advisory board of the Page Center for Entrepreneurship within the Farmer School. In 1996, David Herche was given the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area. In 2001, he was inducted into the Miami University Academy of Entrepreneurs.
Vicki Herche is a former teacher with the Oak Hills School District in Hamilton County, Ohio. She has been an active volunteer with many organizations in the Cincinnati area,
including Kindervelt, the Children’s Theatre, Summit Country Day School, the Junior League, and Playhouse in the Park.
In expressing his thanks to the Herches for their generosity and vision, Miami University President David Hodge said, “This gift provides strategic support in three areas of university focus: it enhances our strong entrepreneurship education programs, it helps us attract and retain promising teacher/scholars, and it promotes greater diversity in the university community.”
The gift benefits Miami University’s Campaign For Love and Honor.
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