Dedication Ceremony Celebrates Dean Thomas O'Brien Chair

October 20, 2009

Deans Fuller, Bisgaard, O'Brien, Gene Isenberg '50, and Dean Butterfield

A dedication ceremony for  the new $2.5 million Dean Thomas O'Brien Chair on October 17 honored the accomplishments of former dean Thomas O'Brien and anticipated global prominence for the Isenberg School under his permanent successor, Mark A. Fuller. Funded collectively by Isenberg School alumni, the chair honors O'Brien, who stepped down as the school's longest-serving dean in 2006. Fuller, who became the school's new dean on August 1, is the first holder of the chair.

Stephen Levy \'62At the ceremony, attended by 130 alumni, faculty members, and friends in the school's atrium,  Chancellor Robert Holub and three  prominent alumni-Stephen Levy '62 '01 LLD, Paul McDonald '66, and Gene Isenberg '50-recalled  O'Brien's path-breaking accomplishments and inimitable style as Isenberg School dean.  Chancellor Holub characterized O'Brien's "legendary, almost  mythical" reputation for having transformed the school through heightened alumni relations and a successful capital campaign.

Paul McDonald, who had served as head of the school's Business Advisory Council for 13 years, praised O'Brien for his leadership and humor. And Stephen Levy emphasized that O'Brien was always driven by an underlying passion: "With all that he has accomplished in his life, Tom found that what has given him true happiness is helping to create opportunities for young people."

Kudos from Gene Isenberg. Gene Isenberg-whose prowess as a deal maker is legendary-praised  O'Brien for negotiating their agreement, which secured the $6 million gift and  remains the largest in UMass history. The gift was crucial in the campaign that built the school's Harold Alfond Management Center.  "It's more than a building. It's the heart and direction in which the school is going," Isenberg  emphasized. "The future has a solid foundation," he continued. "Dean Fuller will be a worthy leader in helping the school to achieve its objectives.

"Tom O'Brien is a gracious, elegant man,"  Dean Fuller told the audience.  "I'm going to pull him back into our efforts to elevate the Isenberg School's reputation and resources. During the past month, I've been on a listening tour, taking the pulse of the school and its graduates," he continued. "Our alumni are tremendously proud of  their school.  We're going to raise the  international  stature of  our programs-graduate and undergraduate-through a partnership  that engages alumni, faculty, and students. Our alumni know first-hand the quality that we offer. The world will know that as well."