HOUSTON, Jan. 28, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In what is the largest single gift ever given by an alumnus, Dr. Kase Lawal presented a $100,000 check, the first installment in a 10-year, one million dollar pledge to fund the CAMAC International Corporation endowment at Texas Southern University. The endowment will fund student scholarships and the development of the Lawal Center for Global Trade at the Jesse H. Jones School of Business.
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Dr. Lawal was joined at the check presentation ceremony by Texas Southern University President, Dr. John M. Rudley; Dr. Glenn Lewis, the Chairman of the Texas Southern University Board of Regents; and Dr. Joseph L. Boyd, Dean of the Jesse H. Jones School of Business at Texas Southern University.
CAMAC's corporate social investment policy is guided by an interest in furthering the areas of economic empowerment, academic enrichment, cultural arts and quality of life. The corporation supports a diverse group of organizations whose leadership and programming exemplify these goals within the communities CAMAC serves.
"The business world is a much more competitive place today than it was when I graduated from Texas Southern University three decades ago," Dr. Kase Lawal, chairman and chief executive officer of CAMAC, said. "In order for students to exceed today's challenges they must first be exposed to state-of-the-art curriculum. It is my hope and that of my family's that this academic endowment will enable students to succeed across boundaries and provide business leadership in this new global economy."
"This gift establishes the Lawal Center for Global Trade in our Jesse H. Jones School of Business providing scholarships for students in international business and programming to support both the academic and business communities," Dr. John M. Rudley, president of Texas Southern University, said. "This proud moment has occurred because Dr. Lawal and his family are committed to the mission of Texas Southern University and to giving back to Houston and to the international community through education."
A prominent international business leader, Lawal serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CAMAC International Corporation and contributes valuable leadership on several national boards and commissions, including as a board trustee on National Urban League, Fisk University, and The Kinkaid School. He is also a commissioner on the Port of Houston Authority and served as the first-ever Vice Chairman of the Port Commission and as Vice Chairman of the Houston Airport Development Corporation Board.
Background on CAMAC
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, CAMAC is a global energy services corporation with principal interests in the exploration, production, and storage of crude oil and natural gas; the physical trading of crude oil, electric power and refined products; and in transportation services for markets in Africa, Europe, North America and South America. In 2008, CAMAC earned revenues of over $2 billion. CAMAC has ranked on the Forbes Magazine list of the 400 largest privately-owned corporations in the United States and was designated the 2006 Company of the Year by Black Enterprise Magazine. CAMAC affiliate offices are located Bogota, Colombia; Johannesburg, South Africa; Lagos, Nigeria; and London, England.
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The photo is also available via AP PhotoExpress.
