HOUGHTON--The Gates Family Foundation of Denver has committed $1 million to Michigan Tech to establish the Charles C. and John G. Gates Faculty Distinguished Professorship in the University's Center for Technological Innovation, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship (CenTILE).
Charles C. Gates, Sr. and John G. Gates, both alumni of Michigan Tech, were among the University's first successful entrepreneur graduates. The formal program in entrepreneurship sponsored by the Gates Foundation will provide the support to increase the number of entrepreneur graduates from Michigan Tech and to make students even more successful in their chosen professions. The program will also provide support services to Michigan Tech alumni who are entrepreneurs and who may also serve as mentors to young graduates.
"With the assistance of the Gates Family Foundation gift, Michigan Tech has an opportunity to move beyond the traditional programs in entrepreneurship and create a unique program, one that will have a significant impact on technological industries, especially in the Upper Midwest," said MTU President Curt Tompkins. This would be accomplished, said Tompkins, by building on the "best practices" of leading national entrepreneurship programs and incorporating these methods with Michigan Tech's recognized strengths. The University plans to augment existing models with activities that relate specifically to technology and engineering, in accordance with its mission and using its expertise and resources. It will aim to prepare students to immediately and successfully enter any type of business or technological environment and/or to start their own business.
The impact of the Gates gift on Michigan Tech will be transformational, according to Dick Robbins, national campaign chair, Leaders for Innovation Campaign for Michigan Tech. "This is a pivotal time for the University," he said. "With the change from the quarter to semester system, the University is concurrently developing a model curriculum that will require every student to take common general education course work, with a heavy emphasis on business writing. Every engineering student will also participate in a real-world design project. The Engineering Enterprises Program funded by the National Science Foundation will serve as the basis for this effort. This program will integrate 16 semester hours of business, engineering, and communication courses into a workplace environment in which students will function in teams in active, discovery-based learning organizations. The Gates gift will have a tremendous influence on the execution of this program."
All of these changes, said Robbins, converge with an exploding interest in entrepreneurship--as indicated by national studies that consistently report that most future job creation will come from small businesses.
Charles Gates received his Engineer of Mines degree from Michigan Tech in 1904. After working in western mining camps for several years, he purchased the Colorado Tire and Leather Company in Denver. The company was engaged in making the Durable Tread, a steel studded leather band to fit over automobile tires to give the tires added mileage.
Charles turned the chrome leather scraps left on the floor from the Durable Treads into what he called Never Break horse halters. The halters were sent to Buffalo Bill Cody for testing and his enthusiastic return letter was used in a direct mail campaign that vaulted the company to success and eventual prominence in the rubber industry. That venture developed into the Gates Rubber Company, which is now the world's sixth largest rubber manufacturer. Charles Gates died in 1961.
John Gates received his Engineer of Mines degree from Michigan Tech in 1911. He later also received an honorary doctorate from the University.
John invented and patented the first rubber v-belt in 1917 as a replacement for a hemp rope fan belt on a new car he had purchased. It was a major breakthrough that opened up the entire power transmission field.
The Gates Rubber Company, which John served as secretary-treasurer from its founding until his death in 1959, became the world's largest maker of v-belts.
John was active in his community and pioneered the Fair Share Giving idea--one hour's pay per month for United Way--which became a national standard. He was often quoted as saying, "Problems are opportunities in working clothes." He was also instrumental in the federal government's selection of Colorado as the site for the United States Air Force Academy.
Both Gates brothers received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Michigan Tech.
Michigan Tech's Leaders for Innovation Campaign intends to raise $100 million for the University by 2003. The featured objectives of the campaign include investing in faculty, students, innovation, leadership, and quality.
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08/04/99