UWF'S COLLEGE OF BUSINESS HONORS LEWIS BEAR JR.

By Tom St. Myer

One year after his passing, Lewis Bear Jr. is fondly remembered for his leadership, philanthropy and commitment to Northwest Florida. In his 82 years, Bear built a legacy that will stand the test of time.

The Bear Family Foundation further cemented his legacy this month by gifting $5 million to name the University of West Florida's College of Business. The college will be named the Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business, contingent on approval from the UWF Board of Trustees. The trustees will vote on the name at their quarterly meeting in June.

UWF announced the naming in a ceremony on Friday, March 15, at the college. Those in attendance included the Bear family, UWF President Martha D. Saunders, College of Business Dean Richard Fountain, Don Gaetz, Sen. Doug Broxson and Rep. Michelle Salzman.

"What a wonderful day to celebrate Lewis Bear Jr. and the University of West Florida," said his son David Bear, CEO of the Lewis Bear Co. "Investing in education is about building a legacy of prosperity for future generations. There is no better way to honor his love for our community and the impact of his life's work than to make this enduring gift in his memory, ensuring that his contributions will continue to benefit others for years to come. Our family is sincerely grateful to the university for the opportunity."

A former UWF trustee, UWF Foundation board member and UWF Foundation Fellow, Lewis Bear Jr. avidly supported the university. He served as a trustee for over a decade and played a critical role in the development of the UWF infrastructure, academic programs and processes.

"Lewis' dedication to the University of West Florida was unwavering," said his widowed wife, Belle Bear, who married Lewis in 1966. "As a trustee and chairman, he worked tirelessly to help UWF achieve its goals and fulfill the requirements set forth by the legislature. He knew a successful university made for a more successful community." Belle later incited laughter during her speech at the ceremony when she said, "I can promise you he is looking down on every one of you all to make sure we are doing it right."

Saunders awarded Bear an honorary doctorate for his character, achievements and contributions to the region. The honorary doctorate recognizes distinguished performance and is the highest form of recognition bestowed by a university.

Belle shared that Saunders bestowed the honorary doctorate degree to Bear through a video call that included his close friends Collier Merrill and Mort O'Sullivan. Bear was being treated at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota at the time of the ous standards. Fewer than 5% of business schools worldwide earn the accreditation. The college's accounting program consistently ranks among the best in the nation in first-time CPA pass rate. U.S. News and World Report recently recognized both its MBA and Master of Accountancy online programs in its national rankings. call. He was surrounded by Belle and their three children during the video call.

"We are thankful to the Bear family for such a transformative gift," Fountain said. "This gift will make a tremendous impact on the lives of students, ensuring that we put them on paths to successful careers … All of us in the Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business pledge to work hard every day to pay tribute to the lasting legacy of Lewis Bear Jr."

The Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business will join the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering and Usha Kundu MD College of Health as named colleges at the university. Each of those namings occurred within the last eight years, and the past two with Saunders as president. UWF requires a gift of $5 million to name a college.

"Naming a college is a big deal," Saunders said. "It raises the bar toward the highest standards of excellence, but naming one for Lewis Bear Jr. raises that bar just a little bit higher."

UWF unveiled the Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business logo during the ceremony. David Bear stared admiringly at the logo as he reflected on what it meant to have his father's name associated with the College of Business.

"Nurses at the Mayo Clinic very quickly added doctor to the name outside of his room, a title he proudly embraced," Belle said.

BEAR'S LEGACY

Saunders touched on what Bear meant to the university when she announced the gift and naming of the college. She described Bear and his family as generous with their time and financial support.

"He was a passionate advocate for UWF," she said. "Many students have benefited from Lewis' generosity and hard work, and many more will through this historic legacy gift."

Established in 1979, the college will use the money for scholarships and operational support to continue delivering a world-class teaching and learning environment to undergraduate and graduate students. The college offers 12 undergraduate and five graduate degree programs and houses five centers open to the community, including the Alystock, Witkin, Kreis and Overholtz Center for Leadership, Center for Entrepreneurship, Center for Supply Chain Management Excellence, Florida Small Business Development Center and the Louis Maygarden Center for Financial Literacy.

The college is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB-accredited schools pass rigor-

"It gives me the chills," David Bear said. "He loved his family, but he loved his business. Business was his life. He intuitively knew how to run a business successfully …To see his name on the College of Business, it's appropriate. There's no other thing I can think of that would define his legacy more than having a college of business at a major state university named after him."

Bear spent nearly 60 years of his life in the family business and served as the CEO and president from 1985 until his death. Founded in 1876, the Lewis Bear Co. is the oldest, continuously family-owned Anheuser-Busch wholesale distributor in the world and the oldest privately held corporation in Florida.

In addition to his business ventures, Bear contributed extraordinary amounts of his time and wealth to the Pensacola area. His reach extended to all corners of the community.

A significant contributor to health care, education and cultural initiatives, Bear and his company founded the Bear Family Foundation. The foundation has awarded millions of dollars in grants to nearly 120 local nonprofit organizations.

Bear served on dozens of community boards, usually as a chairman or trustee. Those boards include the Pensacola-Escambia Development Commission, Triumph Gulf Coast, Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Escambia County, Pensacola Museum of Art and the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition.

"There are still people coming up to us, our family, and telling us things he did to change their lives that he never told us he did," said his son, Lewis Bear III. "He really cared about this community and the people. Not everybody liked him, but everybody respected him." {in}