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July 1, 2007
Morningside College alumni Thomas J. Rosen, a 1970 graduate from Fairmont, Minn., and Donald Verdoorn, a 1955 graduate from Denver, Colo., have made arrangements to provide for the naming gifts for the renovation of Allee Gym.
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Rosen |
In April, crews from Klinger Companies of Sioux City started work on the $2.8 million renovation project. Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of August 2007.
According to Jerry Schmutte, the college’s athletic director, the M-Club Room, an office area for coaches, concession stands, the ticket booth, and the restrooms will be completely renovated. A new roof, windows, and heating and cooling systems will be installed.
Schmutte said that this remodeling project will complete the renovation of the entire gymnasium, originally built in 1949. In 2001, Morningside spent $1.3 million constructing new football and women’s locker rooms and a new weight room for student-athlete use.
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Verdoorn |
Morningside President John Reynders said, “None of this would have been possible without the generosity of these alumni, who are highly successful businessmen and former Morningside basketball players. The college plans to name the facility The Rosen-Verdoorn Athletic Complex–Allee Gym. In doing so, it is in keeping with our vision of the future while, at the same time, preserving Morningside’s rich history.”
Dedication of the newly remodeled sports center will take place at the first men’s basketball game in November 2007.
The renovation of the sports center is part of over $14 million in capital projects taking place on the Morningside campus this year. These projects include renovation of the Olsen Student Center’s main level; completion of the Hilker Campus Green Project, including renovation of Bass Field, construction of the new Jensen Softball Complex and the new Buhler Outdoor Performance Center; and construction of Lags Hall, a new student apartment facility.
Thomas J. Rosen was a member of the basketball team coached by Charles Obye. He is president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Rosen’s Diversified, Inc., which is headquartered in Fairmont, Minn. Rosen's Diversified, Inc. distributes agricultural chemicals and fertilizer through its subsidiary, Rosen's Inc., and manufactures and markets beef, sausages, and meat snacks through its subsidiary, American Foods, LLC.
In August 2006, Rosen was inducted into the Minnesota Business Hall of Fame, recognizing him for growing his company from $550 million in annual revenues in 1998 to $2 billion in 2005.
Rosen has credited his success to his basketball experience at Morningside. He said, “When I played on the 1967-70 basketball team, I learned that if I tried hard enough and never quit, I could do anything. I wanted to provide student athletes the same opportunities I had playing basketball at Morningside.”
He is a former member of the college’s board of directors and served on the National Leadership Committee for Morningside’s Acceleration Program.
Rosen and his wife, Julie, a Minnesota state senator, have three children, Wade, who recently graduated from the University of Denver; Karin, who is enrolled at the University of Colorado; and Reid, a high school sophomore.
Donald Verdoorn received a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business from Morningside. He is the president and founder of Celebrity Development Corporation, which is located in Denver, Colo. Celebrity Development Corporation is responsible for purchasing and developing the land on which Celebrity Custom Homes has built over 4,000 homes. The corporation currently focuses on multi-million-dollar homes.
Recruited as a walk-on, he was a member of the 1952-55 basketball teams coached by A. W. Buckingham and was elected Most Valuable Player by his teammates in 1955. He also took a number of business and finance courses from the late Dr. Miles Tommeraasen, then assistant professor of business administration and later president of the college. Verdoorn said, “Coach Buckingham’s faith in me as an athlete and Miles Tommeraasen’s interest in me as a student were huge influences in my life. These men helped me develop a sense of perseverance and self confidence, and giving this gift for Allee Gym is my way of saying thank you.”
Verdoorn is a member of the National Association of Homebuilders and is a former board member of the American Arbitration Association. He served as co-chair of the Morningside College Acceleration Program from 1990-93 and was a member of the college’s board of directors.
He and his wife Paula reside in Denver and Scottsdale, Ariz. He has two children, Dan and his wife Carla, and Denise and her husband Erich; and three step-children, Kelly, Micki, and Lance and wife Karla. He also has three step-grandsons, Cahn, Cole, and Dylan.
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