Marketing & Communications
Division of University Relations and Development
News Release
| SDSU
Honorary Doctorate Recipients for 2005 Display Leadership, Strong University Ties Norman Brinker, Andreas Brown, Ron Fowler to Receive Degrees at Commencement Ceremonies Aaron Hoskins SAN DIEGO, Thursday, May 12, 2005 – San Diego State University will confer three honorary doctorates as part of the spring 2005 commencement ceremonies May 19-22. The recipients are renowned restaurateur Norman Brinker, literary icon Andreas Brown, and entrepreneur and philanthropist Ron Fowler. These will be the 21st, 22nd and 23rd honorary doctorates awarded in SDSU’s history. “This year’s recipients build on SDSU’s rich tradition of honoring extraordinary individuals that started more than 40 years ago when the university awarded its first honorary doctorate to President John F. Kennedy,” said SDSU President Stephen L. Weber. “The three people we honor this year have made great contributions to business, literary scholarship and civic service.” Norman Brinker Brinker founded Brinker International, a restaurant
conglomerate that includes Chili’s Grill and Bar, On the Border
and Romano’s Macaroni Grill. The company has more than 1,300
restaurants in 49 states and 22 countries, with annual revenues
of $3 billion. Brinker’s rise from busboy to internationally renowned restaurateur began as a business student at SDSU, where he also served as student body president. He supported himself through college by selling cutlery door to door. After graduating in 1957, he worked at an entry level position at Jack in the Box and quickly rose through the ranks to become known as the “father of causal dining.” He founded Steak & Ale in 1965 and later sold the 300-restaurant chain to Pillsbury, the second-largest restaurant organization in the world. Soon after he was named head of Pillsbury’s restaurant group, which includes Burger King, Bennigan’s, Poppin Fresh and several others. Harvard Business School named Brinker as its Statesman of the Year, and he was selected in a 1997 Cornell University survey of 150 CEOs as their most admired mentor and role model. Cornell University also named Brinker the most successful restaurant executive. Brinker is tentatively scheduled to receive his honorary doctorate of Humane Letters on Saturday, May 21 at 8 a.m., as part of the commencement ceremony for the College of Business Administration. Andreas Brown Brown has owned and operated the legendary Gotham Book Mart and Gallery in New York City for more than 37 years. The Gotham is frequently considered the most important independent bookstore in America. Brown has actively promoted the appreciation and cultural significance of American literature and art throughout his adult life. He is recognized across the country by book dealers, authors, and libraries as the foremost bookseller and literary estate consultant in the field of American literature. Brown has worked closely with some of the world’s leading writers, from Nobel Prize winners Saul Bellow and Samuel Beckett to contemporary writers such as John Updike, Joyce Carol Oates, Philip Roth, Allen Ginsberg, J.D. Salinger and Edward Gorey; playwrights Lillian Hellman, Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee and Arthur Miller. He conducts evaluations of collections for authors and libraries across the country. Brown is an alumnus of San Diego State University, graduating with honors in 1955 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. After graduate school at Stanford University and serving in the U.S. Army, Brown returned to San Diego State to teach speech for three years. Last year, Brown was instrumental in bringing the most comprehensive exhibit of Gorey’s art and writings to the SDSU Library. Brown will receive his honorary doctorate of Fine Arts on Saturday, May 21 at 1 p.m., as part of the commencement ceremony for the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts. Ron L. Fowler Fowler is the chairman and CEO of Liquid Investments, Inc., parent company of a number of operating entities including Mesa Distributing Co., Mesa Beverage Co., Colorado Beverage Distributing and Pierco Sales. Under Fowler’s leadership, the business grew from a $7 million enterprise to an operation with estimated annual sales of more than $260 million. Fowler began his successful career at Theodore Hamm Brewing Co. in Minnesota. He quickly ascended through the ranks and was recruited to the West Coast. Fowler has had successful careers at Lucky Breweries in San Francisco, Olympia Brewing Co. in Washington, and H.A. Lavezzi Co. in San Diego. Over the course of two decades, Fowler expanded his beverage distribution empire throughout Northern California and Colorado. In addition to overseeing a multimillion-dollar company, Fowler is a San Diego civic leader and generous philanthropist. At San Diego State, he provided curriculum input and financial support to help shape SDSU’s top-ranked business program in entrepreneurship. He has actively supported academic programs as well as Aztec athletics. He is a founding member and chairman of The Campanile Foundation, SDSU’s philanthropic foundation. A sports enthusiast, Fowler served as vice president and executive committee member of the Greater San Diego Sports Association; chairman of the San Diego Hall of Champions; founding chairman and president of the San Diego International Sports Council; chairman of the Padres Task Force for a new ballpark; and chairman of the 2003 Super Bowl Task Force and Host Committee. Fowler is a former owner of the San Diego Sockers professional soccer team. Fowler earned his undergraduate degree from the College of St. Thomas and his MBA from the University of Minnesota, St. Paul. Fowler will receive his honorary doctorate of Humane Letters on Saturday, May 21 at 8 a.m., as part of the commencement ceremony for the College of Business Administration. Honorary Degrees Previously Conferred by SDSU In all, SDSU has awarded 20 honorary degrees since 1963. They are, in chronological order: 1963 John F. Kennedy, Doctor of Laws 1966 Glenn T. Seaborg, Doctor of Laws 1968 Edwin O. Reischauer, Doctor of Laws 1996 Bernard Lipinsky, Doctor of Humane Letters 1996 Alvena Storm, Doctor of Humane Letters 1997 D. Bruce Johnstone, Doctor of Humane Letters 1997 Shimon Peres, Doctor of Laws 1998 Arthur Barron, Doctor of Humane Letters 1998 Arthur G. Linkletter, Doctor of Humane Letters 1998 Vahac Mardirosian, Doctor of Humane Letters 1999 Shirley Chisholm, Doctor of Humane Letters 1999 James D. Sinegal, Doctor of Humane Letters 2002 Miguel León-Portilla, Doctor of Letters 2002 George Walker Smith, Doctor of Humane Letters 2002 Dwight E. Stanford, Doctor of Laws 2002 Claire Van Vliet, Doctor of Fine Arts 2003 Sol Price, Doctor of Humane Letters 2003 John Baldessari, Doctor of Fine Arts 2003 Charles F. Bolden, Doctor of Science 2004 Kathleen Kennedy, Doctor of Fine Arts San Diego State University is the oldest and largest higher education institution in the San Diego region. Since it was founded in 1897, the university has grown to offer bachelor’s degrees in 81 areas, master’s degrees in 72 areas and doctorates in 16 areas. SDSU’s nearly 33,000 students participate in an academic curriculum distinguished by direct faculty contact and an increasing international emphasis that prepares students for a global future. For more information, visit www.sdsu.edu. ### |
