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Community Corner

Robert Alvine Honored as Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year

Robert Alvine, of Woodbridge, CT, was honored with the Award for Outstanding Philanthropist at the Association of Fundraising Professionals National Philanthropy Day® in Connecticut Conference and Awards Banquet 2013 on November 15.  This award honors an individual or family with a proven record of exceptional generosity who, through direct financial support, demonstrates outstanding civic and charitable responsibility and whose generosity encourages others to take philanthropic leadership roles on a community, national or international level. 

 

A visionary businessman and passionate volunteer, Bob Alvine’s passion is bringing people with diverse viewpoints together to work toward a common goal.  This may be why he has given so generously of his time and talents to many different organizations over a span of 50 years, bringing to each the lessons he has learned in life and in business.

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Bob’s most far-reaching influence as a philanthropist and visionary businessman has been with the University of New Haven (UNH), where both of his children graduated with honors.  He served as chair of the Board of Governors for six years, and he remains active as chair emeritus.

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As chair of the Board of Governors during a period of transformation unrivaled in the history of UNH, he helped oversee the construction of a new residence hall, the development of a $15.5 million student fitness center and the creation of an $11.5 million cutting-edge facility to house the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science.

His transformational gifts to the university reach across all disciplines, from athletics to the Colleges of Engineering, Business and Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, the Henry D. Lee Institute of Forensic Science, the Peterson Library, the president’s discretionary fund, the Scholarship Ball and, most generously, the Alvine Endowed Legacy Scholarship Fund.

 

Bob has supported other organizations as well as UNH.  He is a life trustee and chair emeritus of the Jackson Laboratory, one of the most advanced laboratories in the world for research on genomes.  He has also been a member of the Long Warf Theater Board of Trustees since 1994.  He remains active with the Naval War College Foundation, is past board chair for the National Theater of the Deaf and served on the board of the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York.   In addition he has served on numerous business, civic, military and trade associations.

 

He began his career at Signal Corps, where he had top-secret security clearance for his assignment during the Cuban missile crisis.  He went on to the Celanese Corporation, where he spent the next 17 years in positions of increasing responsibility.  In 1977, he left Celanese for Uniroyal where he held top-level posts, including CEO of its billion-dollar Engineered Products and Services Group.  As CEO, president and chief operating officer at Uniroyal, Bob oversaw 32,000 employees and, in 1985, led the largest management buyout to date.

 

Bob is always passionate about his involvement in philanthropy.  “You want to make a difference,” he says.  “And if you love a certain kind of business or the work of a charitable organization, you can offer your experience to others.  It’s not just about writing checks.  It’s saying that you’re willing to get involved and then you go from that involvement to helping others.”

 

Celebrating its 29th year, National Philanthropy Day® in Connecticut Conference & Awards Banquet was centered on the theme “Developing Champions for Change.”  Co-sponsored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Connecticut Chapters, AFP Fairfield County Chapter and AFP Connecticut Chapter, on November 15, 2013 in Trumbull, CT, the conference offered a wide range of workshops and speakers as well as the awards banquet. Six awards categories were represented in the awards given. The keynote speaker was Adrian Sargeant, an internationally recognized expert on growth in philanthropy. Eighteen workshops will be offered in tracks from the beginner to the experienced level as well as networking opportunities and discussion sessions.  The occasion was a sell-out event with more than 260 participants attending, the largest attendance in the event’s history.

 

To learn more about the conference and read more about the philanthropy award winners, please visit www.afpctnpd.org.  

 

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