New award honors David Hermelin

October 8, 2004
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New award honors David Hermelin

ANN ARBOR—A new award at the University of Michigan honors the late David Hermelin, Detroit-area entrepreneur and philanthropist and former United States ambassador to Norway.

The David B. Hermelin Volunteer Fundraising Award was created to honor Hermelin’s memory and his tireless and exuberant volunteer service to the university. Hermelin was a 1958 graduate of the University’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business.

The award will be presented annually to volunteers whose fundraising efforts for Michigan emulate the dedication Hermelin showed to the University until his death in 2000.

“David Hermelin was a force to be reckoned with,” said Jerry May, the University’s vice president for development. “He was a leader, a mentor and a friend to many. He worked hard for the University, and he inspired others to do the same.”

Hermelin was a major fundraiser for the University. He served on the national committee for the University’s campaign in the 1980s and was major gifts co-chair of the Campaign Steering Committee for the billion-dollar Campaign for Michigan in the 1990s. He also served as co-chair of the Detroit Major Gifts Committee.

With his wife, Doreen, and sister, Henrietta, Hermelin was the benefactor of the first endowed position at the University Library—the Irving M. Hermelin Curatorship of Judaica, named in honor of his father.

Hermelin raised millions for Jewish causes worldwide. Among other leadership roles in the Jewish community, he served as international campaign chairman of the State of Israel Bonds campaign. He was also involved with United Jewish Appeal, the Jewish Welfare Federation of Detroit, Detroit Round Table of Christians and Jews, Hebrew University, the Jewish Theological Seminary and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.

He also served on the board of directors for the Barbara Ann Karmanos Institute and was involved with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Children’s Hospital of Michigan and Michigan Opera Theatre.

Doreen Hermelin, of Bingham Farms, is a vice chair of The Michigan Difference, the University’s $2.5 billion campaign that kicked off in May. She is active in the Organization for Rehabilitation through Training (ORT), a worldwide education and training organization, and in many other regional, national and international causes. David Hermelin was president of American ORT and vice chairman of the World ORT Union. In December 2003 the David B. Hermelin ORT Resource Center opened in West Bloomfield.

The first recipient of the David B. Hermelin Award is Richard Rogel, of Vail, Colo., the founder and former chairman of Preferred Provider Organization of Michigan (PPOM). The University