A List
2/20/06

TWO NY BUSINESS LEADERS DONATE $3.3 MILLION TO ST. LAWRENCE

CANTON - St. Lawrence University has announced that it has received a gift of $1.7 million from Trustee James "Jay" Ireland '77 and Valerie Lanigan Ireland '77, of New York City, and a gift of $1.6 million from Trustee Michael W. Clark '81 and Pamela Van Hoven Clark '82, of Darien, Connecticut. Both are for the University's next comprehensive fund-raising campaign.

The Irelands' gift includes outright capital support for renovation of arts facilities, an irrevocable estate commitment and support for the St. Lawrence Fund. In recognition of their gift, the solarium in the renovated arts center will be named in the Irelands' honor.

"We feel the investment in the arts facilities and curriculum is critical for St. Lawrence to maintain its outstanding liberal arts reputation," said Jay Ireland. Referring specifically to the solarium space, he commented, "We also think it is imperative the University continues to provide community spaces for students to interact socially outside of the traditional gathering places."

Jay Ireland is president of NBC Universal Television Stations, with overall executive responsibility for the operations of NBC Universal's 30 owned-and-operated NBC television stations and 16 Telemundo television stations. He joined its parent company, General Electric, 25 years ago, after serving three years with the United States Army stationed in Germany, and worked in many GE roles and businesses through 1999, when he became president of NBC Television Stations. Ireland was named to his current position in May of 2004. He is co-vice-chair of the University's next comprehensive campaign. Valerie Ireland is involved with a number of advocacy organizations, including the National Stroke Association and the New York Make-a-Wish Foundation. She is co-chair of St. Lawrence's Leadership Gifts Committee, which brings gifts of $1,000 and more to the St. Lawrence Fund.

The Clarks' have made an outright gift, a five-year pledge and an irrevocable bequest designated for the Michael and Pamela Van Hoven Clark Scholarship Endowment, to assist women in mathematics and science; the Michael and Pamela Clark Career Planning Awareness Funds; and the St. Lawrence Fund.

Michael Clark, president of Chilton Investment Co. in Stamford, CT, stated, "The educational experience that Pam and I enjoyed at St. Lawrence was funded to a large degree by the generosity of those donors who came before us. The generations to come deserve this same opportunity and we hope our gift helps to facilitate that."

After stints at Irving Trust, Salomon Brothers and Drexel Burnham Lambert, Michael Clark was named managing director in charge of overseeing all equity trading for Credit Suisse First Boston, including positions that included global head of cash equity trading, co-head of global equities and global head of proprietary trading. He served on the Credit Suisse executive board beginning in 2002. The London Financial Times referred to him as "one of the most respected traders on Wall Street" in 1998.

Clark has frequently been interviewed by CNBC and other national news networks on issues related to the financial markets. He also served on the Board of Directors of the NASDAQ stock market from 2001 to 2004. Since Clark began working with the St. Lawrence University career planning office in 1979, he has placed numerous students and recent graduates into internships and jobs on Wall Street.

After working for Chubb Insurance following her graduation, Pam Clark has been a nursery school teacher in Rowayton, CT.

President Daniel F. Sullivan said, "Jay and Val Ireland's, and Mike and Pam Clark's wonderful and generous giving to St. Lawrence is not just big and incredibly useful, it is also strategic. They try to locate their philanthropy where it will have the biggest impact in moving the University forward. Something very exciting is happening in the arts here just now, so that is where Jay and Val are making their next investment. Mike and Pam understand that St. Lawrence succeeds in its mission for America by enabling strong students with insufficient family financial resources to enroll and graduate from St. Lawrence - especially women majoring in mathematics and/or science - and to find a vocation in life about which they are passionate, assisted by our Office of Career Planning. Outstanding leaders do that sort of thing, and that is what Jay, Val, Mike and Pam are."

Vice President for University Advancement Michael P. Archibald said, "Jay Ireland and Michael Clark are among St. Lawrence's most respected business leaders in New York. Their decision to provide these leadership gifts, with Valerie Ireland and Pam Clark, validates the University's important role in higher education, and provides a real boost of momentum for the University during this, our Sesquicentennial Year."

St. Lawrence is in the planning stages of its next comprehensive campaign. Its most recent campaign concluded December 31, 2002, with $132 million raised from alumni, parents of current and former students and friends of the University.

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More information: Giving To St. Lawrence