Regent Ron Weiser was recognized for his service to the University of Michigan at the Dec. 5 Board of Regents meeting, his last as a member of the board.
Board Chair Katherine E. White, who attended remotely, lauded Weiser’s philanthropy, influential leadership and insight as a member of the board as she read a resolution commending him for his service and granting him the honorary title of regent emeritus.
While Weiser’s term as regent is ending, his positive impact on students through philanthropy continues to grow. President Santa J. Ono announced that Weiser has committed $10 million for an institute for civil discourse, which will be a center of learning and engagement dedicated to fostering mutual understanding across diverse perspectives on campus.
“Your impact on your alma mater has been absolutely transformational,” Ono said. “So on behalf of all of us, thank you. Your leadership and generosity, your service to our country and to our community have had an extraordinary impact and left an indelible imprint on our university.”
Weiser was elected to the board in 2016. He served as vice chair in 2018 from July to December, and was chair from January to June of 2019. His term will end Dec. 31.
“It’s really been a pleasure to serve with all of you and serve this great institution,” Weiser said. “(The university has) made a difference in so many people’s lives and it continues to do so. It saves lives, it improves lives, it’s something different than you’ll see any place in the world. So, thank you.”
His fellow regents praised Weiser’s time on the board.
“You’re a person of service, which you’ve displayed your whole career. You’re a person of generosity, which is beyond remarkable,” Regent Denise Ilitch said. “You’re a Wolverine of deep commitment to the university. And you’re a Wolverine of finance. You’ve been brilliant in being able to help us navigate complex financial issues at an institution that is so large.”
Weiser’s service on nonprofit boards includes democratic engagement, medical research and health, the arts and history. He served as U.S. Ambassador to the Slovak Republic from 2001-05 under President George W. Bush.
Through his financial gifts, Weiser has enabled the founding or co-founding of nine centers and institutes at U-M, and he was deputy chair of the Victors of Michigan campaign. He currently is a trustee of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, and also is helping to raise resources for a pediatric brain cancer center that he helped found at the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in honor of the late Chad Carr.
Weiser founded McKinley Associates Inc., a national real estate investment company, in 1968. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business from U-M in 1966 and did graduate work in business and law.
Regent remarks
Here are some of the tributes to Weiser by his fellow regents at the board meeting:
Mark Bernstein
“You have become a dear friend and a mentor and every place you go on this campus, I always say if a development officer meets you at a unit or a location on this campus and they don’t walk away with at least a million dollars, they should find another job.”
Paul Brown
“I’ve referred to different regents in the past as ‘being on the Mount Rushmore of Regents’ through the history of this institution. To say Ron is on that is an understatement, because regent is just one category of which Ron belongs on the Mount Rushmore of our graduates. As a business person, you created a billion-dollar business. As a politician, you led your party at this state. In health, the several institutes you’ve created (at U-M) and the impact they’ve had. As a public servant, you’ve been an ambassador. As a donor, I think you’re number two in the history of this institution. So, to say you’re on the Mount Rushmore is an understatement.”
Sarah Hubbard
“You helped me join this club in a way that is certainly unforgettable, and the ability to serve with you and your very stable leadership throughout our time together has been a pleasure and a blessing. I really do also look forward to seeing your continued engagement with the university into the future.”
Michael Behm
“One of the things I find most impressive that you’ve done and you live daily, in addition to everything everyone has talked about so far, is that you are constantly seeking out common ground with those that you might disagree with politically, and I find that incredibly admirable.”
Jordan Acker
“I just remember thinking about … the last six years we’ve served together and how much I’ve learned from you and how much I admire you. And one of the things that I think is lost when we talk about these institutes and second-largest donor, all these things. But that pales in comparison to the things that people don’t know about. The meetings that we’ve had with UM-Dearborn and UM-Flint over the years where we’re talking about a program that need a startup, that needs $75,000 or less. And Ron, without thinking, says, ‘Yeah, I got it. Let’s start this program. Let’s do it.’ And no one ever hears about it.”
— Jeff Bleiler and Genevieve Monsma of The University Record contributed to this article.
