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Marketing and University Communication UW-Green Bay, CL 815 2420 Nicolet Drive Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 (920) 465-2626 E-mail: hildebrs@uwgb.edu Last update: 9/26/07 |
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In
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Reprinted from: Green Bay Press-Gazette June 7, 2007 Weidner recalled as man of vision Founding chancellor of UWGB dead at 85 By Warren Gerds
"We now have UWGB graduates the world over," said Jim Temp of Allouez, who teamed with Weidner on funding activities. "It got off to a great start with Ed Weidner."
Weidner, who died early Wednesday of congestive heart failure at age 85, started the campus from scratch. His first office at UWGB was a farmhouse.
The university with an environmental theme grew to include a performing arts center and a Division I sports program, both linked to Weidner. He was chancellor for 20 years.
The campus is in many ways "Dr. Weidner's University of Wisconsin," said Bruce Shepard, current chancellor.
"Ed Weidner pushed Green Bay to dream some very big dreams," said Tom Gabbard, president of the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center and former Weidner Center executive director.
Born in Minneapolis, Weidner was an academician and administrator with a taste for bird watching, UWGB basketball, the arts, political science, conversation and colorful ties.
He relished his name being on an arts center he was instrumental in building, though he was not one to rest on laurels.
"It's not what you've done, it's what you can do in the future," he said in a 2004 Press-Gazette interview.
That philosophy continued into his final months, said Frederick Schmidt, president of Weidner Center Presents, Inc., which this month will announce a season of programming to start in fall.
"Since December of 2005, when the university decided to alter its relationship (in booking events at the center), Ed has worked tirelessly to re-awaken the full potential of the Weidner Center," Schmidt said."
A memorial event will take place Saturday at the Weidner Center at UWGB.
The family will welcome guests from 3 to 6 p.m., and a program will start at 6 p.m. A reception will follow in the foyer.
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