NC State University now has endowed its first chair for a dean, and it’s in the College of Management. Chancellor Randy Woodson made the $4 million announcement Tuesday.
“This is the first endowed chair for a Dean at N.C. State, and the first college that was endowed and we couldn’t be more pleased," said Woodson.
The Poole College of Management is relatively new. It was established in 1992 and officially named in 2010.
Steve and Judy Zelnak are impressed. Steve Zelnak, the former President and CEO of Martin Marietta Materials, and his wife, endowed the new Zelnak Dean’s Chair for $4 million. Zelnak says it gives the college more resources to work with.
“It could be helping bring in a high caliber faculty member, it could be bringing in a couple of students who are very high caliber," said Zelnak.
Poole’s current dean, Ira Weiss, is the first recipient of the endowed chair. Weiss says private support is what spurs innovation and better investments in people.
The Zelnak’s have also funded a professorship in the Poole College of Management.