Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business in Kalamazoo has received a $17 million donation from the Stan Lucas Trust. It’s the largest philanthropic gift ever to the business school.
Lucas, a real estate developer who passed away in January 2025, empowered WMU alumnus Dan Grady with ensuring his trust be donated between four charities.
Once such gift would be to a business school that emphasizes free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and capitalism, as well as innovation and ethical judgment.
“What is special about my time at Western is the way I felt while I was there,” says Grady, who graduated from the business school in 1983. “We had small classes with professors you could always approach for help. My walks to East Campus are among my favorite memories. While specific courses have faded in my memory, it is the experience at Western that I remember and cherish.”
Russ Kavalhuna, president of WMU, says the fund will assist current and future students.
“This extraordinary act of generosity to the Haworth College of Business is both humbling and inspiring,” he says. “That someone with no direct ties to the university would choose to invest in students speaks volumes about the important role state and regional universities play in expanding opportunity.”
Home to nearly 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students, the Haworth College of Business has 16 specialized majors and several graduate programs.
“This generous gift positions the college to design impactful experiences that engage students in the types of active learning opportunities that give them the skills, confidence, and knowledge to lead and thrive in a rapidly evolving global economy,” says Satish Deshpande, dean of the Haworth College of Business.
“This gift will provide support for generations of business leaders who will positively influence both the business world and the world at large in significant ways. We are so grateful to alumnus Dan Grady and The Stan Lucas Trust for this phenomenal gift.”
The $17 million gift will advance strategic initiatives that center on Experience-Driven Learning, including:
- Innovation-focused programming in Silicon Valley.
- Entrepreneurship programs and expanded resources for student-led startups.
- Curriculum development in free markets, capitalism, and entrepreneurial principles.
- Increased financial literacy education and programs that focus on economic understanding.
- Enhanced opportunities for student career readiness and professional communication.
A serial entrepreneur, Lucas grew up on a farm in California. The quiet, headstrong middle child in his family, Lucas attended UC Berkeley, graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering.
After graduation, he traveled to New Zealand, worked briefly in the defense industry, and taught physics and math at Pacific States University. Ultimately, he found his calling as an entrepreneur.
He had a variety of ventures throughout the years, from a coin laundry business to an antique mall.
He started Lucas Automotive Engineering in 1957, making explosion whistles and steering wheels for early Fords. The company eventually manufactured hard-to-find tires for antique car collectors worldwide.
Lucas’ team also specialized in acquiring and restoring steam-powered vehicles. The business was a marriage of Lucas’ enterprising spirit and his personal passion for collecting planes, trains, and automobiles.
In 1976, Lucas began acquiring industrial real estate in southern California. From there, he expanded into the design, construction, and management of multi-tenant buildings. More recently, he began developing housing communities in northern Nevada, with plans to add 5,200 homes, along with roads and commercial buildings in the region.
For more information, visit wmich.edu/business.
