Announcing the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship Orin Edson cared deeply for his community and believed others should have the resources to pursue their entrepreneurial visions. Edson, who died in 2019 at the age of 87, is best known for founding Bayliner Marine Corp. — the largest manufacturer of luxury boats in its time — and for later acquiring a majority interest in Westport Yachts, growing that into another successful yacht building company. As philanthropists, Edson and his wife Charlene were longtime supporters of Arizona State University’s entrepreneurship and innovation programs. In September 2020, ASU President Michael M. Crow announced that the university would honor Edson in perpetuity with the establishment of the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at Arizona State University. The naming recognized the Edsons’ longstanding commitment to further entrepreneurship support at ASU and included an additional endowed gift.
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