The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Shidler College of Business has received $1 million from William R. Johnson, Jr., president and CEO of Johnson Machinery Co., to establish the William R. Johnson, Jr. Study Abroad Endowment. The endowment will provide international study abroad scholarships for undergraduate students attending the Shidler College of Business.
“We are extremely grateful to Bill Johnson for his continued investment in our students and our future,” said V. Vance Roley, dean of the Shidler College of Business. “As a well known community advocate and philanthropist in California and Hawai‘i, Bill has once again made a leadership gift to his alma mater. In 2006, he made his first leadership gift of $1 million to fund two endowed professorships at the College and since then has hosted several Shidler alumni events in the Newport Harbor for southern California Shidler alumni. He is a great example of alumni making a difference in our students’ lives.”
Johnson said, “I’m pleased to help the students at Shidler explore the world and graduate as global citizens. All of my children benefited greatly from their international study abroad programs, so I know first hand the life changing experiences these opportunities can be.”
The California-based company Johnson Machinery Co., supplies heavy construction, industrial and mining equipments throughout Southern California, Arizona, and Mexico through its five divisions: Johnson Machinery, Johnson Life/Hyster, Johnson Power Systems; Johnson Rental Services and Ever-Pac. The company has thirteen locations throughout Southern California and more than 400 employees.
Johnson earned his BBA from the Shidler College of Business in 1965 and was inducted into the Hall of Honor in 2007. He currently sits on the board of advisors of UC-Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering.
“It is wonderful to see alumni giving back in such a meaningful way,” said Donna Vuchinich, president and CEO of the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation. She continued, “Travel abroad scholarships help our students be globally competitive and greatly enrich their experience of UH. This new gift builds on Bill’s already generous legacy at UH and we are truly grateful.”