Lohr legacy grows with endowed dean 

 “If a forensic scientist studied SDSU’s campus,” President Barry Dunn told an audience in August, “they would see Jerry Lohr’s fingerprints everywhere.” 

No place has benefited from his impact more than the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering, named in Lohr’s honor eight years ago. Lohr, the founder of J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines, has been a lead donor to every new and revitalized facility within the college and the largest provider of named scholarships, consistently providing $200,000 or more annually. 

On Aug. 26, Dunn announced Lohr’s newest commitment: $5 million to endow the dean of the Lohr College of Engineering. 

The endowment will provide at least $200,000 a year in perpetuity to allow the dean to support strategic needs of the college. Bruce Berdanier will be the first Lohr Endowed Dean holder. 

It is the next chapter for Lohr’s impact on his alma mater and the Lohr College of Engineering. 

The renaissance started in 1983. A 1958 graduate, Lohr returned to campus and walked through Solberg Hall, a turn-of-the-century engineering building. He noticed the same worn linoleum that he recalled from his undergraduate days when he taught a class there. 

Lohr calls out that visit and tour of the building as a prime motivator for him to get re-engaged with SDSU. He had a flourishing custom-home building company in California and was establishing J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines. 

Five years later, in 1988, he joined the SDSU Foundation’s board. That led to his role as chair of the first-ever comprehensive campaign. In 2001, construction began on an expansion of Crothers Engineering Hall. Then came the revitalization of Solberg Hall. The planning for Daktronics Engineering Hall started in 2006; construction began a year later. 

That was followed by phase two of Daktronics Engineering Hall and then the Chicoine Architecture, Mathematics and Engineering Hall. In addition to serving as a lead donor, Lohr was also an active fundraiser for all of those projects. 

SDSU is focused heavily on creating endowed faculty positions, which are important to recruit and retain top faculty, researchers and academic leaders. The endowed positions begin with professorships at $1 million, with higher amounts for endowed chairs and deans. The endowment is invested by the SDSU Foundation, with 4% of the market value provided in annual support. A $1 million endowment, for example, will generate $40,000 every year to support the work of the endowed holder. 

SDSU leadership set a goal to have at least 50 endowed positions in the next five years. To date, there are commitments for 37. Some will be established through a donor’s estate planning and will be filled in the future. The Lohr Endowed Dean should be in place in 2022. 

It will be the second endowed dean at SDSU. The South Dakota Corn Utilization Council endowed the dean of College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. 

In a nod to the college’s future and emphasis on its students, Paris Marcy, a senior civil engineering major, was selected to introduce Lohr at the announcement. She talked about the role engineers play in addressing some of the complex problems facing the world, including drought and climate change. “That is the value of a degree from the Lohr College of Engineering. SDSU and the college are developing the leaders and problem-solvers of tomorrow.” 

“As a soon-to-be civil engineering graduate from South Dakota State, I hope it leads me to the type of success that Mr. Lohr has achieved. And not just as a professional. But as a person who cares, gives back, makes a difference and transforms lives,” Marcy said. 

“Again, what you have witnessed today is the intersection of Jerry’s vision and his generosity,” President Dunn said. “His previous gifts have built a strong foundation for the college to grow and thrive long into the future. Today’s gift has buttressed that foundation, and I can guarantee you that the Lohr College of Engineering has a very exciting, productive future.”