A rendering of the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center.
Concordia University is pleased to announce the naming of their new academic collaboration building as the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center.
The naming gift was given by the Robert W. Plaster Foundation in support of Concordia’s vision to promote and advance free market principles across the disciplines of healthcare, education, science, technology and the arts.
Upon completion, the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center will house Concordia’s Batterman School of Business and serve as the central space on campus from which free market principles will be developed and advanced, and be a focus for cross-disciplinary student collaboration.
A rendering of the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center.
The Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center makes additional community outreach efforts possible, including providing thought speaker series and conferences. In addition, the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center will develop free market-based healthcare solutions through our functioning clinic and healthcare startup incubator.
The Robert W. Plaster Foundation’s mission is to promote expanded educational opportunities, pride in America, and belief in the free enterprise system, for the benefit of America’s youth, through named capital projects.
“We are so pleased to be involved in this project,” said Dr. Dolly Clement, executive director of the Robert W. Plaster Foundation and daughter of Mr. Plaster. “My father grew up in poverty and wanted a college education because he knew it would give him a better start toward improving his life. After only three semesters of junior college he had to quit and go to work full time in order to make ends meet.”
Clement continued, “Dad started Empire Gas Corporation in 1963 and when he sold it in 1996 it had become one of the largest retail distributors of LP gas in the United States. Once Dad had some success in business, he wanted to help students like himself, who wanted an education but could not afford it. That is why, in 1983, he founded the Robert W. Plaster Foundation to fund capital projects for colleges and universities to help students get an education. We are so proud to have Dad’s name on the building that will house Concordia’s Batterman School of Business.”
— This story is written by Kali Thiel, director of university communications for Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor. She may be reached at kali.thiel@cuw.edu or 262-243-2149.
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