February 8, 2019

Allen gift endows Purdue business school deanship

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A Fortune 500 CEO and Purdue University alumnus has created an endowed deanship at his alma mater’s business school.

Samuel Allen, chairman and chief executive officer of Deere & Co., made a $5 million gift to name the deanship and provide resources for strategic initiatives within the school. The position will be known as the Dr. Samuel R. Allen Dean of the Krannert School of Management.

Allen graduated from Purdue in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial management. The university awarded him an honorary doctorate in management in 2017. He first became involved with Deere as a student in an undergraduate offering called Executives in the Classroom, now known as the Krannert Executive Forum, and joined the company upon his graduation. He worked his way up the organization before assuming the role of president and CEO in 2009, and chairman and CEO the following year.

“The Krannert School was very important in giving me a foundation for my career, as well as introducing me to a wonderful organization,” Allen says. “I’m happy to give back to a school and university that have meant so much to me through the years.”

David Hummels, dean of the Krannert School, says the gift will provide unrestricted funds to enable the school to invest in key strategic initiatives.

“We’re honored that Sam has made an investment that will help push Krannert to a higher level and allow us to compete for the very best students and faculty,” Hummels says. “The business world is evolving at a rapid pace. This gift will allow us the flexibility to be more responsive to changing needs in the way we recruit and educate top students.” 

Allen is chairman emeritus of the Council on Competitiveness and a board member for Whirlpool Corp. He played golf at Purdue and previously gave a $2 million gift to help renovate the Ackerman-Allen Course.

Allen is one of three current Fortune 500 CEOs to graduate from the Krannert School. The others are Greg Hayes (BSM’82), chairman and CEO of United Technologies Corp.; and Dave Ricks (BSIM’90), CEO of Eli Lilly and Co. 

Writer: Tim Newton, 765-496-7271, tnetwon@purdue.edu 

Media contact: Joseph Paul, 765-494-9541, paul102@purdue.edu 

Source: David Hummels, krannertdean@purdue.edu

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