One of 51ĀŅĀ×ās most dedicated supporters, Ann Lee Hancock Konneker, passed away on July 14 in St. Louis, Missouri, at the age of 95.
Born and raised in Olean, New York, Ann Lee Hancock, HON ā80, graduated from Ohio State University in 1945 before marrying OHIO alumnus Wilfred Konneker, BS ā43, MS ā47, HON ā80, in 1946. The couple would go on to become two of 51ĀŅĀ×ās most visionary and impactful benefactors.
āAnn Lee Konneker was an incredible person and a cherished member of the 51ĀŅĀ× community,ā OHIO President M. Duane Nellis said. āThe wisdom, kindness, and generosity shown by Ann Lee and Wilfred Konneker will have a lasting impact on the students and communities we serve.ā
Ann Lee and Wilfred Konneker founded the Nuclear Consultants Corporation in St. Louis, which later merged with Mallinckrodt, Inc. Wilfred also founded or co-founded six additional high-tech start-up companies throughout his career.
While experiencing deserved success in business, the Konnekers never forgot 51ĀŅĀ×.
In 1980, the couple made a generous gift to the University to purchase the building now known as Konneker Alumni Center, the renovation of which became a personal passion for Ann Lee. Through her efforts, the building was restored to its early 1900s Greek Revival Design and remains one of the Athens Campusā most iconic buildings today.
The Cutler Scholars Program, which was founded with the leadership of the Konnekers and OHIO President Emeritus Charles J. Ping in 1995 through the establishment of the Konneker-Ping Fund, continues to emphasize leadership potential and individual obligation to respond to the human condition. 51ĀŅĀ×ās premier merit scholarship program, Cutler Scholars, are driven to explore how they can use their skills and interests to make a positive impact in their communities.
The Konnekers supported Cutler Scholars from both Wilfredās high school in Greenfield, Ohio, and Ann Leeās Olean High School in New York, taking pride in these studentsā accomplishments and forming personal connections with many of the recipients.
āThe Konnekersā generosity has been such a blessing on my life and the life of many others,ā said Sophia Hendrix, BA ā17, BSCSD ā17, an Ann Lee Hancock Konneker Cutler Scholar. āI go through each day knowing that the experiences and opportunities I have been given are truly a gift. With every place I go and every person I meet, I bring the Konnekers with me.ā
The Konnekersā generosity touched many other areas of OHIO as well.
The Konneker Research Laboratories, located on The Ridges, opened and was dedicated in 1996 in recognition of Will Konnekerās leadership and service to the University. The building is home to the Edison Biotechnology Institute (EBI), which fosters basic discovery research and the development of new technology that can be commercialized to create companies, jobs, and investment in Ohio.
A gift from the Konnekers to The 51ĀŅĀ× Foundation created the Konneker Fund for Learning and Discovery, a quasi-endowment dedicated to supporting innovative research, graduate education, and undergraduate learning initiatives at the university.
In 2012, the Foundation established the Konneker Medal for Commercialization and Entrepreneurship to recognize current and former faculty or students who have demonstrated excellence in innovation, invention, commercialization, and entrepreneurship.
in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Due to COVID restrictions, there will not be a public celebration of her life at this time.