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DU Home > News & Events > Media Releases > April 2006

MEDIA RELEASES

Contact
Jessica Mackinnon
jmack@dom.edu
(708) 524-6289

School of Business Named for Edward & Lois Brennan

Dominican University is proud to announce the renaming of its School of Business in honor of distinguished Chicago businessman Edward A. Brennan, retired chairman and chief executive officer of Sears, Roebuck and Co., and his wife Lois L. Brennan, a 1955 alumna of the university. The naming of the Edward A. and Lois L. Brennan School of Business was announced by Dominican University President Donna M. Carroll at a campus reception and celebration on April 18.

“Edward and Lois Brennan have been long-time supporters of Dominican University, ever since Edward courted Lois while she was a student here,” said Dr. Carroll. “We are thrilled that they have chosen to reflect this commitment by making possible the renaming of our School of Business. They could have chosen to support any institution of higher learning in the country. But they chose Dominican University because of their commitment to a program that is dedicated to business ethics, which is the foundation of our business curriculum.”

Established less than 30 years ago, Dominican University’s School of Business has developed a reputation for its commitment to business ethics, reflected in the recent establishment of the Christopher Chair in Business Ethics, its focus on global business and international study, and its dedication to developing students’ knowledge of entrepreneurial business practices.

Small class sizes, personal attention by professors rather than graduate assistants, and a focus on the practical applications of academic content have helped differentiate Dominican’s school of business within the competitive Chicago metropolitan region. In addition, partnerships with top-ranked universities in Poland, the Czech Republic, India and China have spread the business school’s reputation around the globe.

“The Brennans’ generous leadership gift, bolstered by private gifts from individuals and corporate leaders, will allow the School of Business to recruit and retain outstanding faculty and offer fellowships and scholarships that will ensure that Dominican students will graduate with the qualifications to make a real impact on American and international business,” said Dr. Molly Burke, dean of the School of Business. “In addition, the endowment will provide funds to enhance the Business Career Center and create centers of excellence in business ethics, entrepreneurship and international business.”

As part of their commitment to the university, the Brennans have volunteered to play an active role in positioning the business school as a premier learning environment for future business leaders, including sponsoring the annual Brennan Business forum, which was inaugurated on April 5 with a focus on corporate governance.

Both Lois and Edward Brennan are products of a Dominican-sponsored education. Lois Brennan was born in Oak Park and attended Trinity High School, a Dominican-sponsored girls school in River Forest. She served as a member of Dominican University’s board of trustees for nine years and is a current member of the board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago. She also serves on the women’s boards of Northwestern University and Rush University Medical Center.

A graduate of Dominican-sponsored Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Mr. Brennan received an honorary degree from the university in 1995. During his 39 years with Sears, Roebuck and Co., Brennan rose from serving as a retail clerk selling men’s furnishings in Madison, WI to becoming the company’s eleventh chairman in 1986, a position he held until his retirement in 1995.

Since his retirement, Mr. Brennan has served the business community as a member of the boards of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co., The Allstate Corporation, 3M, Exelon Corporation, McDonald’s Corporation and AMR Corporation, the parent of American Airlines. He has shared his business expertise by serving on the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Advisory Committee, the Business Advisory Council of the Chicago Urban League and the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations.

In addition, he has long been a leader in civic affairs. He has served on the board of the Big Shoulders Fund and as chairman of the board of governors of the United Way of America. Mr. Brennan is the current chairman of the board of trustees of Rush University Medical Center as well as a member of the board of the Lyric Opera.

In recognition of his civic engagement and leadership, Mr. Brennan has received numerous honors and awards, including the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Excellence in Leadership Award from the Minority Resources Corporation; the Visionary Award from the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago, which established the Edward A. Brennan Youth Leadership Award in his honor; and was inducted into the Chicago Business Hall of Fame in 1997 by the Junior League of Chicago.