Contacts:
Sarah Youngerman, Minnesota Medical Foundation, syounger@umn.edu, 651-485-7171
Daniel
Wolter, University News Service, wolter@umn.edu,
612-625-8510
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (06/21/2010) —In recognition of a lifetime of
support, the University of Minnesota has named the newest building in
its Biomedical Discovery District the Winston and Maxine Wallin Medical
Biosciences Building.
The building houses researchers working
in brain sciences, including Alzheimer’s disease and movement disorders,
and immunology. It is part of the growing Biomedical Discovery
District, a state-of-the-art research park located near TCF Bank
Stadium.
“The Wallins’ generous gifts of time, talent and
financial support have contributed immeasurably to the life and vitality
of the University of Minnesota — their commitment to higher education
and medical research is unrivaled,” said university President Robert
Bruininks. “The Winston and Maxine Wallin Medical Biosciences Building
aptly honors their longtime commitment to and support of the University
of Minnesota.”
In addition to their generous financial support,
the Wallins — both University of Minnesota graduates — have contributed
their time and talents to the advancement of higher education,
particularly in the health sciences.
In 1993, Winston “Win”
Wallin became a special adviser to then-university President Nils
Hasselmo, overseeing the Academic Health Center in a time of great
turbulence and change. He also chaired the Masonic Cancer Center’s
capital campaign, which raised $30 million to construct the Masonic
Cancer Research Building — the only building on campus fully supported
by private dollars. Additionally, he and Maxine personally established
the Winston R. and Maxine H. Wallin Land-Grant Chair in Cancer
Prevention and Genetics and were major contributors to the John H.
Kersey Chair in Cancer Research.
As chair of the Medical
School’s Dean’s Board of Visitors, an advisory group to the dean, Win
Wallin was an early advocate of the Biomedical Discovery District and
championed the importance of medical research to the future of the
university and the state.
He is currently a trustee of the
Minnesota Medical Foundation, a member of the Medical School Dean’s
Board of Visitors and trustee emeritus of the University of Minnesota
Foundation. In 1992, he was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award
and in 1995 was presented with an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from
the Medical School.
Win and Maxine Wallin are recognized for
their extraordinary commitment to higher education through a
tremendously successful college scholarship program for Minneapolis high
school students.
In his professional life, Win Wallin earned
wide admiration for his strong and ethical leadership. After 34 years
with Pillsbury, rising from grain trader to president and chief
operating officer, he became chief executive officer of Medtronic, Inc.,
and within six years led the pioneering Minnesota medical device maker
to world prominence.
He has served as Campaign Minnesota
honorary co-chair and on the Masonic Cancer Center Community Advisory
Board; as a member of the presidential advisory search committee in
1996; and chair of the Carlson School of Management Board of Overseers.
Building namings such as this are approved both by the All-University Honors Committee, which consists of faculty, students, staff and alumni as well as the Board of Regents.
