North Dakota Businessman Donates $5M To Minnesota University
FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A man who leads a successful North Dakota-based brick company has donated $5 million to the School of Business at Minnesota State University Moorhead.
Most of the donation from Rodney Paseka and his wife, Carolyn, will go toward scholarships for business students.
"Scholarships not only act as a way to lessen the financial concerns that students face while they obtain a degree, but they also allow students to focus on education," student Nathan Cole told WDAY-TV.
The rest of the Paseka donation will go for a variety of uses, including research, program development and faculty positions. The university is naming the business school in honor of the Pasekas, whose donation is the largest in school history.
"This generous gift will help us elevate our tradition of excellence in student-centered education, community service and innovative programs." business school Dean Marsha Weber said in a statement.
Rodney Paseka is co-owner and CEO of Fargo, North Dakota-based Hebron Brick Co. The century-old company has seven retail centers in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota and distributes brick in 40 states and in Canada.
Both Pasekas attended the Moorhead university. Rodney Paseka earned degrees in accounting and business administration in 1971. He joined Hebron Brick as sales manager in 1978 and became a co-owner and CEO eight years later. Carolyn Paseka worked at the university as an office clerk for 15 years, retiring in 2001.
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