Revered as a business strategist and leader whose personal and professional success reflect the values, tradition and mission of Baldwin Wallace University, Willard E. Carmel '52 is being honored by the naming of the BW Carmel Boyer School of Business.
The new name recognizes the outstanding and ongoing contributions of Carmel and George T. Boyer '51, who both retired from the board in October after a combined 94 years of service.
Carmel, whose steadfast support, visionary thinking and generosity to the university have led to the addition of numerous new buildings, programs and initiatives, has created an indelible and exemplary footprint in BW history.
A
graduate
of
Grafton
High
School,
Carmel
followed
the
earlier
footsteps
of
his
aunt
and
brother-in-law
in
enrolling
at
BW.
The
hard-working
student
took
a
full
load
of
classes
in
the
morning
and
then
worked
35-40
hours
in
the
afternoons
and
evenings
at
a
local
A&P
to
pay
for
tuition.
Carmel attended BW from October 1947 through June 1948. In the summer of 1948, he learned about college tuition benefits that came along with the Army Reserves and enlisted. "I came home and told my mom, and she almost passed out," he recalled. "But that decision allowed me to come back to BW and to succeed as a student."
At BW, he studied business under the leadership of the renowned Dr. Jacob O. Kamm '40. After graduating, he joined Field, Richards & Company, where he was later named a vice president at age 27. In 1964, the firm was acquired by McDonald & Company. The following year, Carmel was named a partner and was instrumental in managing the most successful municipal bond operation in Ohio. As he progressed in his career to managing partner and then chairman and president, Carmel led the Cleveland-based company to excellence in becoming one of the larger brokerage firms in the country.
A relationship-builder, Carmel has mentored countless BW students over the years and represents the best of a BW education - the characteristics and values he has modeled for decades, both personally and professionally, are the same ones the university strives to instill in students.
In
the
past
four
decades,
Carmel
has
contributed
his
time
and
talent
as
a
working
member
of
five
trustee
committees
and
as
vice
chairman
and
chairman
of
the
BW
Board
of
Trustees.
In the late 1980s, he worked to secure BW's financial future as co-chair of a capital campaign that raised $19.2 million against a $15 million goal. Likewise, in the mid-1990s, he was co-chair of The Campaign for the 21st Century, where his strong leadership helped raise a goal-breaking $55 million that would bolster the university for major capital renovation and new construction, student scholarships, endowed chairs and other prominent initiatives. He would repeat this same success again as a co-chair for Transforming Lives: The Campaign for Baldwin-Wallace College, where in 2011, the BW community celebrated the conclusion of a triumphant $97.2 million philanthropic achievement.
For Carmel, these campaigns helped to cement BW's strong foundation for the future. He led not just by work and persuasive and powerful words but also by example. He and his wife, Donna (nee Heffelfinger) '54, have been steadfast and gracious supporters. Among their many philanthropic contributions is an endowed scholarship for students and funding for one of BW's popular residence halls.
In
October
2000,
the
BW
community
gathered
for
the
dedication
of
The
Willard
and
Donna
Carmel
Living
Learning
Center,
a
residence
hall
named
in
honor
of
the
generous
Bay
Village,
Ohio,
couple
who
provided
the
lead
gift
(which
was
then
matched
by
Peter
Kleist).
Today,
the
residence
hall
stands
as
a
proud
and
vibrant
reminder
of
their
devoted
service,
exceptional
leadership
and
countless
contributions
to
their
alma
mater.
"I could give you a lot of reasons to give back to BW, but two are most important," emphasized Carmel. "One, Jake Kamm is responsible for setting me on my career path, and also, my wife and I met and were married in BW's chapel. The direction of my life was forever changed by my experiences at BW."
His decades of superlative service and professionalism have been recognized through the awarding of a BW honorary Doctor of Laws degree to him in 1986 as commencement speaker and earlier when he was named a 1972 Alumni Merit Award recipient. The latter is BW's highest alumni recognition.
In 1995, Carmel was lauded for a lifetime of outstanding achievement, leadership and service by The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges. He was named to its elite Hall of Excellence, which honors alumni of Ohio colleges whose achievements exemplify the tradition, ideals, strengths and values of independent higher education.
In his memoirs, BW President Neal Malicky reflected on Carmel and the integrity and sincerity he had for his role as a trustee. "He brought to the position a history of dedicated support of BW and a high degree of respect in the corporate community of northeast Ohio. Bill and I developed a personal friendship which will, without question, be with each of us through all our days."
