 Kenneth D. Rosen |
Ever since the establishment of Florida International University in 1972, Kenneth D. Rosen, CCIM, president, Kendar Realty, Inc., dreamed of seeing a school of real estate at Modesto A. Maidique Campus. Thanks in large part to his dedication, a thriving one exists. The most recent sign of his commitment: a personal contribution of $50K to the Jerome Bain Real Estate Institute, which coordinates myriad real estate programs in the College of Business Administration, with courses taught by members of the Department of Finance and Real Estate.
“I knew Jerome Bain (MBA ’75), and after his death, I became the chair of the Educational Foundation of the Realtor Association of Greater Miami and the Beaches (RAMB), which received $500K from his estate to donate to real estate education,” said Rosen, who saw the value of giving the Bain legacy to the university that both men loved. “Rather than allocating small amounts to multiple institutions, I spearheaded a move to donate all the funds to the university to establish the institute that bears his name.”
Rosen helped secure an additional $100K, and with a 70% match from the State of Florida, the college launched the institute in 1998 with a $1.2 million endowment.
“When we wrote the contract, we included a clause that said that we could get our money back if the school didn’t have enough students by a certain date,” Rosen said. “The program took off well from the beginning and now is flourishing far beyond our expectations.”
Support takes many forms, and Rosen manifests them all.
Having been instrumental in enabling the institute to come into being, Rosen continued and continues today to actively support the program with his time.
“He remains one of our staunchest cheerleaders and a key player on our advisory board—attending all our meetings and maintaining a high level of interest in the growth of our program,” said John Zdanowicz, institute director and professor, Department of Finance and Real Estate.
Now, with his personal donation, he has found yet another way to show his devotion to the institute and the high regard in which he holds the college and its students.
“I felt like it was time to show my respect by making a financial contribution and it gave me a lot of pleasure to do so.”
—Kenneth D. Rosen, CCIM, president, Kendar Realty, Inc.
“I believe in the business school, and if I were young and starting college today, I’d go there in a minute,” he said. “For business, it’s the greatest. I felt like it was time to show my respect by making a financial contribution and it gave me a lot of pleasure to do so.”
Rosen and the institute remain on pace to achieve their goals.
Reflecting on his 35-year attachment to the university—in particular to its real estate program—Rosen remembered his inauguration as president of RAMB in the early 1970s.
“I presented seven goals, one of which was to establish a school of real estate at Florida International University,” he said.
Not only did his earlier efforts help lay a solid foundation for educating students in real estate, but also, with his personal gift, Rosen is helping ensure that the real estate programs will continue to expand.
“I’m very grateful that he made this kind of commitment and that he will help me make decisions about how to parcel out the funds,” said Zdanowicz, who plans a variety of initiatives to strengthen the undergraduate and graduate programs and to increase support for faculty research and development.
For more information about the Jerome Bain Real Estate Institute, visit http://business.fiu.edu/centers/jerome_bain.cfm. The site includes links to information about the college’s undergraduate real estate major and the Master of Science in International Real Estate (MSIRE) program.
