Tag: Shannon Grus

rendering of East Central College's Business and Industry Center

Foundation Kicks Off Campaign

March 21, 2016 | Campus News

A $1.2 million campaign has been kicked off by the East Central College Foundation to raise money to help the college renovate the former Gala Center into a Business and Industry Center.

The Foundation campaign, Building for Success: An Initiative for Tomorrow’s Workforce, will solicit contributions for remodeling the space into a Business and Industry Center that will house ECC’s precision machining, industrial engineering technology and HVAC programs. Lab and classroom space to accommodate non-credit welding classes is also planned for the building. Credit classes in welding will continue to be located at Four Rivers Career Center in Washington through a partnership program with the School District of Washington.

ECC’s Center for Workforce Development also will be located in the facility, which will allow for the expansion of training opportunities.

“The mission of the ECC Foundation is to support the growth and development of East Central College in whatever manner might be beneficial to our students, staff and facilities,” said Shannon Grus, executive director. “This campaign does that.”

“This new Business and Industry Center will create more economic opportunities for our students and our communities,” she said. “It will serve as the regional training provider for business and industry, generating bottom up strategies to spur growth.”

Grus said gifts to the campaign will allow for expansion of programs and offerings in the four technical fields utilizing the latest technology. Evening and weekend opportunities will also be possible with the new space.

“Area manufacturers have a continual need for skilled workers,” Grus stated. “Many more graduates are needed to meet the local and regional demand for workers and the Business and Industry Center will provide that.”

Dr. Jon Bauer, president of the college, stated that this project marks the beginning of an exciting chapter in the history of ECC.

“The purchase and renovation of this building will lead to a state-of-the-art facility that will support some of our high demand career and technical programs,” he said. “When complete it will be the focal point of our work with businesses and industries in the region.”

“As we prepare students for the workforce and help companies become more competitive through training of existing employees, this facility puts East Central College at the leading edge of workforce development in Missouri,” he added.

“We know from employers that a skilled workforce is the most critical need they face,” he said. “Our responsibility is to produce graduates who can meet this demand and contribute to raising the economic trajectory of our region.”

Gifts & Pledges

Donors can make a one-time donation or pledge an amount to be paid over one to five years. Grus said pledges, matching gifts from an employer, planned gifts, gifts in memory or in-kind donations will be accepted. Capital donations of $1,000 or more will be recognized in a permanent location in the building.

“In addition to the naming opportunity for major gifts, the campaign has established additional contribution levels,” said Grus.

The campaign giving levels are major gifts: $25,000 to $100,000; leadership gifts: $15,000 to $24,999; special gifts; $5,000 to $14,999; and general gifts: up to $4,999. All donations are tax deductible. The ECC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Tax Credits

The project was approved to receive up to $600,000 in tax credits from the Missouri Development Finance Board to assist with fundraising efforts, so the original campaign goal of $600,000 was pushed to $1.2 million.

Grus noted that the tax credits are now available to individuals and corporations that contribute to the campaign. Any taxpayer is entitled to the tax credits. Contributors will receive a 50 percent tax credit for their donation.

Project Details

The college purchased the 19,807 square foot building in April 2015 for $1.2 million.

This month, college trustees awarded a $3,050,000 contract to K&S Associates, St. Louis, for the renovation work which began March 14. Once completed, the center will total 28,388 square feet. The contractor expects to have the building ready for use in mid-September.

Along with the ECC Foundation’s capital campaign, funds for the renovation will also come from a $1.2 million Economic Development Administration grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce as well as institutional funding.

“For a minimal investment, the college will have a first-class center for technical education for the benefit of students and the greater community,” said Grus.

Nominations Accepted Through March 31

March 1, 2016 | Campus News

The East Central College Foundation/Alumni Office is seeking nominations for the 2016 Outstanding Alumni Award.

“Each year, thousands of students begin or continue their professional journey at ECC,” noted Shannon Grus who serves as executive director of the Foundation. “Through March 31 we will accept nominations of former ECC students who have gone on to become leaders in their professions and positively impacted their community.”

To be considered for the Outstanding Alumni Award, nominees must have completed a college credit course at ECC at some point in their educational journey. Attainment of a degree or certificate from ECC is preferred but not required. Nominees must also be looked upon by their peers as leaders in their field, with a demonstrated commitment to community. Residency within the college district is not required. An explanation of 500 words or less as to why the person is worthy of consideration should accompany the nomination. The nomination form can be accessed from the ECC Foundation webpage: www.eastcentral.edu/alumni. Individuals can also email foundation@eastcentral.edu or call 636-584-6506 to request the form or more information.

Selection will be determined by a committee drawn from ECC alumni and the Foundation. The 2016 award will be presented at East Central College commencement ceremony on the Union campus Saturday, May 14.

The ECC Alumni Association established the Outstanding Alumni Award in 2002 to recognize the accomplishments of former ECC students. Past recipients include: 2002-Tanya Voss; 2003-John Griesheimer; 2004-Tom Robertson; 2005-Chris Manhart; 2006-Deborah Koelling; 2007-Tammy Watz and Dr. Frank Miller; 2008-Ken Schmidt; 2009-Chris Stuckenschneider; 2010-Ann Schroeder; 2011-Ted Coburn, 2012-Linda Mahon, 2013-Joseph Purschke, 2014-Amy Wildhaber, and 2015-Tony Kreutz.

Annual Meeting Set for January 28

January 8, 2016 | Campus News

The annual meeting of the East Central College Foundation is scheduled for Thursday, January 28, 2016. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in Buescher Hall, Room 238 on the ECC campus in Union.

At the annual meeting, the slate of nominations for the offices of directors of the ECC Foundation board for 2016 will be presented. The oath of office will be administered to the newly elected and returning directors. The Foundation board is composed of 25 individuals from businesses, professions, and community services. Directors take an active role in fundraising and membership activities, finance and investment planning, and supervision of planned gifts and endowments.

Shannon Grus, executive director of the Foundation, will deliver the annual report.

All persons interested in the advancement and growth of East Central College shall be eligible for membership in the Foundation. Members shall have made a $50 value contribution for each Foundation fiscal year or portion thereof. Contributions made within a period of 60 days prior to the commencement of a fiscal year will be considered as payment in full through the following fiscal year period. Members shall receive all services provided to the membership.

Established in 1975, the East Central College Foundation supports the growth and development of East Central College in whatever ways might be beneficial to students, staff, and facilities. It solicits and receives tax-deductible gifts which are managed for the benefit of the college and its students. It is chartered as a non-profit 501 (c)3 organization for educational purposes.

The ECC Foundation provided more than $180,000 in scholarships to more than 150 students this academic year.

For information regarding the ECC Foundation, call 636-584-6506 or email: foundation@eastcentral.edu.

$600,000 in Tax Credits Approved for ECC Project

November 24, 2015 | Campus News

East Central College has been approved to receive up to $600,000 in tax credits from the Missouri Development Finance Board to assist with fundraising efforts to create the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Workforce Training adjacent to ECC’s main campus in Union.

The tax credits will be available to individuals, corporations and funders that contribute to the ECC Foundation campaign to raise $1.2 million to renovate the former Gala Center into a facility for technical education and workforce training.

“We thank the Missouri Development Finance Board for their support of this project,” noted Dr. Jon Bauer, ECC president. “This speaks volumes about the enormous benefits this project will have for our area.”

Bauer noted that any taxpayer – including any charitable organization that is exempt from federal income tax and whose Missouri unrelated business taxable income, if any, would be subject to the state income tax – would be entitled to the tax credit.

Contributors will receive a 50 percent Infrastructure Development Fund Tax Credit based upon their contribution. A $20,000 contribution would result in a $10,000 tax credit which could be used by the contributor to pay certain taxes due to the State of Missouri.

The credits may be used to offset income tax, franchise tax or financial institution tax. They can also be transferred to another taxpayer.

The tax credits issued by the Board cannot be refunded or carried-back. They can be carried forward to offset future tax liabilities for up to five years and could be applicable when filing a 2015 tax return. The tax credit certificate need not be completely used on one return. Portions of the credit can be used in each of the succeeding five years to pay tax liabilities owed to the State of Missouri.

Shannon Grus, executive director of the ECC Foundation, stated that the tax credits will allow the Foundation to engage the civic and business community to help support the continued growth of East Central College. “People can begin making donations immediately, with the minimum donation set at $1,000,” noted Grus. “Donations can be in the form of a check, wire transfer, or marketable securities, but must be made by December 31, 2017.”

Complete details are available at the ECC Foundation website.

ECC purchased the former Gala Center in April for $1.2 million. The renovation of the property will allow the college to expand its technical education programs in Industrial Engineering Technology and Precision Machining which are currently housed at Four Rivers Career Center in Washington. ECC’s Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning program will be relocated from the main campus to the renovated facility. The Center for Workforce Development, as well as labs and classrooms dedicated to workforce training, are also planned for the renovated space.

In September the college was awarded a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration. “Combining the EDA grant funds, tax credits, institutional resources, and other donations through the ECC Foundation will make it possible for us to renovate the space into almost 22,000 square feet of up-to-date facilities that will benefit ECC students and the regional economy for years to come,” noted Bauer.

This fall ECC trustees authorized college administrators to apply for the MDFB’s “Tax Credit for Contribution” program which encourages private contributions toward public projects across the state.

Bauer stated that renovations should begin early next year, with the relocation of the programs expected before the start of 2016 fall semester classes.