John and Patty Noel of Stevens Point, co-founders and owners of Travel Guard International and the Noel Group, have pledged $1 million to help fund the addition to the Fine Arts Center (FAC) at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
The gift from the Noels is the largest single gift ever received by the UW-SP Foundation. The donation completes the funding for the FAC project that will break ground in 2003. Recently Gov. Scott McCallum and the State Building Commission pledged $25 million of the $26 million needed if UW-P raised the additional money to add and refurbish classroom space in the building.
The Noels are both natives of Wausau and graduates of UW-SP. John was named a Distinguished Alumnus in 1999.
The Noel Group, founded in 1982, is the leading travel insurance company in the country. The service, travel, insurance and real estate business employs about 500 people in 14 worldwide locations.
Noel practices his belief that "honesty and integrity are integral parts of any company's business success." He has spoken frequently about his company's responsibility to "strengthen the capabilities of employees through training, education, modeling, mentoring and leadership."
"The greatest joy in John's success has come from sharing the rewards with his family, employees, people around the world and those here at home in central Wisconsin," said Chancellor Tom George. "Altruism, generosity and kindness are clearly his signature trademarks. His generous pledge of $1 million to complete the Fine Arts Center project will benefit our students, our faculty and the residents of central Wisconsin."
At Thursday's ceremony marking the gift and featuring fine arts students, Noel said, "Our personal mission statement reflects our desire to help children and the disadvantaged and to promote diversity. As we've worked with UW-SP for the past five years in all three of these areas, we've found the chancellor and everyone within the university to be open and supportive. This contribution to the Fine Arts Center comes from all of the employees of the Noel Group. It is their hard work and astonishing customer service that brings us the financial strength to make a contribution like this. We thank them for making it possible."
Noel said having UW-SP in the community makes it more diverse and more enriching for all. "I would encourage other area businesses and individuals to consider how they may be able to support this valuable community asset."
The Noels have founded a number of humanitarian projects throughout the world including Make A Mark, a nonprofit program that funds sustainable building projects in developing countries. They have rebuilt a kindergarten in war-ravaged Klipi, Croatia, built and equipped a hospital addition in Rostov-Veliky, Russia, created a computer laboratory for students in Eleuthera, Bahamas, and built staff quarters for the Nyumbani Orphanage in Karen, Kenya. The orphanage takes in abandoned HIV positive children and provides them with the best nutritional, medical and psychological care available.
Recently Make A Mark partnered with the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund to create a self-sustaining community for orphans, and elderly and disabled adults in Africa. The organization is currently working on a shelter for homeless street children in Brazil.
In 1996 the Noels created the Compass Scholar Program to encourage and reward academic achievement, leadership and citizenship for high school students of color in Wisconsin Schools. The program includes room, board, and tuition at UW-SP plus a paid internship at the Noel group. Also, as part of their commitment to cultural diversity, John and Patty helped support a class at UW-SP called Ethnic Diversity in Wisconsin by providing a grant to broadcast portions of the class on area cable access channels.
Recently the Noels were presented with the Franklin Covey Humanitarian Service Award given to outstanding individuals who reach out to improve the quality of life for individuals, groups or humankind.