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John Pappajohn
Education: 1952. BSC. College of Business Administration, The University of Iowa
Spouse: Mary (Limberis)Pappajohn
1957, B.A., Related Art, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Career
History: 1969-Present, Sole Owner, Pappajohn Capital Resources (venture capital fund), Des Moines, Iowa.
1969-Present, President and Founder, Equity Dynamics, Inc., Des Moines, Iowa (financial consulting firm).
1962-1969, President and Founder, Guardsman Life Investors, Inc., Des Moines, Iowa (a public insurance holding company).
Directorships: Public Companies
CNS Response - Orange County, CA
Conmed Healthcare Management - Hanover, MD
American CareSource Holdings - Dallas, TX
** Also a director in more than 10 private companies
Civic Activities
& Awards:
1992 Iowa Business Leader of the Year.
1995 Honoree, Recipient of the Horatio Alger Award
1996-Present: Board of Directors of Horatio Alger Association
1996 Inducted in Iowa Hall of Fame
1997 Beta Gamma Sigma Medallion for Entrepreneur of the Year
1997 Brotherhood Award from the Iowa Region of the National Conference of Christians and Jews
1997 Hellenic Heritage Achievement Award
1998 Listed as one of the top 200 art collectors in the world by Art News magazine (1998 - 2012)
1998 Awarded the Meredith Willson Heritage Award
1999 Central Iowa Business Hall of Achievement
2000 Ellis Island Medal of Honor Recipient
Board of Trustees, Anatolia College, Thessaloniki, Greece
Past Trustee, Pine Manor College, Boston, Massachusetts
Member of the Advisory Board for the JF Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Appointed by President Ronald Reagan, reappointed by President George Bush (10 years).
Member of the National Committee of the Performing Arts, JF Kennedy Center, Washington, DC (served an additional 13 years)
Leadership 100 Board of Directors
Trustees Council – National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
Co-Chair, Collectors Committee for the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
National Committee for the Whitney Museum, New York, New York
Director for the Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, DC; also member of the Executive Committee of the Hirshhorn
Honorary Trustee, Des Moines Art Center, Des Moines, IA
Advisory Board member, University of Iowa Center for Macular Degeneration
Board member, University of Iowa Medical School Council
Mayo Clinic Rochester Leadership Council
Contributed funds to the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City in 1989 creating the John Pappajohn Pavilion
In 1991, established at the University of Iowa Hospitals the John & Mary Pappajohn Clinical Cancer Center
Contributed funds to the University of Iowa for construction of the John Pappajohn Business Administration Building.
University of Iowa President’s Club and Alumni Association.
University of Iowa Foundation Board of Directors (1989 to Present)
University of Iowa Foundation Investment Advisory Committee
University of Iowa Finkbine Award 2004
University of Iowa Homecoming Honored Guest 2002, 2010
University of Iowa Distinguished Alumni Award for Service 1991, 1996
Oscar C. Schmidt Iowa Business Leadership Award, 1993, University of Iowa College of Business Administration
Member, Board of Visitors, University of Iowa College of Business
1996 Established the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers at five universities and colleges in the state of Iowa
2001 funded the North Iowa Area Community College Pappajohn Business Building, Mason City, Iowa
2004 committed additional $5 million to fund entrepreneurial centers at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Drake University and North Iowa Area Community College.
May 1997 announced a $5 million scholarship fund for ethnic, disadvantaged and minority students. More than $3,400,000 awarded since inception.
Former President of Iowa Citizens for the Arts
Big Brother of the Year 1974
2004 Committed $3 million to help finance the new John and Mary Pappajohn Higher Education Center, Des Moines, Iowa (Collaborative for 7 universities and colleges)
2005 John and Mary Pappajohn were awarded Honorary Alumni of Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
Honorary Degree Recipient – Doctor of Humane Letters 2007, Iowa State University
Philanthropists of the Year, 2004, Iowa
2005-2010 Board of Directors, Americans for the Arts (formerly known as Business Committee for the Arts, Inc.), New York
2006 Awarded Outstanding Alumni American Association of Community Colleges
March 2, 2007 “John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Day – designated by Governor Chet Culver of Iowa
FIRST IOWAN to receive the Woodrow Wilson International Center Award for Corporate Citizenship 2007
January 2008, Des Moines Bravo Award
2008, Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters Degree from Grand View College, Des Moines, Iowa
2010, Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters Degree from University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
May 2008 Hellenic Times Humanitarian Leadership Award
December 2008 Greater Des Moines Spirit of Community Award
January 2009 John Hughes National Award for Entrepreneurial Advocacy
September 2009 NACCE National Lifetime Achievement in Entrepreneurship Award
September 2009 Opening of the John & Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park gift to the City of Des Moines and the Des Moines Art Center valued at $40 million
Record $26.4 million gift commitment to the University of Iowa for the new Pappajohn Biomedical Institute and the new John and Mary Pappajohn Biomedical Institute building
1997-2007 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Council Member
1997-2006 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Executive Committee Member, Chairman of Finance Committee
Des Moines Club
Embassy Club
Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity
33rd Degree Mason, Order of AHEPA, Scottish Rite, Shriner