Rick Olson, center left, and Mike Hoffman, center right, cut a ribbon together at the conclusion of the dedication ceremony for the Melrose and The Toro Company Center for Principled Leadership on Aug. 2, 2021, in Terrence Murphy Hall on the Minneapolis campus. (Liam James Doyle/University of St. Thomas)
A dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Aug. 2 to celebrate the Melrose and The Toro Company Center for Principled Leadership on the Minneapolis campus.
The event recognized the philanthropy of donors Mike and Tami Hoffman and The Toro Foundation, who generously committed $3 million toward the project. Special recognition was also given to Ken Melrose, for whom the center is named.
The donor recognition program included remarks from Dean Stefanie Lenway, President Julie Sullivan, Academic Director Dr. Christopher Michaelson, donor Mike Hoffman, and Rick Olson, CEO of The Toro Company. Following the dedication ceremony, guests mingled in the newly renovated space in Terrence Murphy Hall.
“This event was the perfect opportunity to reflect and remind us that business leaders can and do think beyond profits,” said Dr. Nicole Zwieg Daly, executive director of the Melrose and The Toro Company Center for Principled Leadership. “They can and should consider the impact their decisions have on people, the planet, and on the common good.”