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UMKC School of Law receives $500,000 gift commitment
Gift will support Entrepreneurial Legal Services Clinic
The UMKC Foundation, the Law Foundation of UMKC and the UMKC School of Law are pleased to announce and acknowledge a $500,000 planned gift to the Law Foundation. H. Howard Stephenson, who earned a law degree in 1958 from the University of Kansas City School of Law (now UMKC School of Law) and an honorary doctorate in 1993 from the School of Law, made the gift to support the school's Entrepreneurial Legal Services Clinic.
Since 2002, the Entrepreneurial Legal Services Clinic has provided legal advice and professional business planning resources to small business owners who cannot afford market rates for such services. School of Law faculty supervise law students as they provide legal and professional services to qualified clients.
"We're very grateful for this supportive gift, which will help fund the continuation of the Entrepreneurial Legal Services Clinic," said Judy Sharp, director. "This program provides our students with real-life experience mentoring clients who are starting businesses."
Born in Wichita, Kan. and raised in Lawrence, Kan., Stephenson received a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan in 1950. That same year, he married Virginia Anne Ross and they later had three children -- Dr. Ross Wayland Stephenson, Neal Bevan Stephenson and Jann Stephenson Boxold.
Following service in the U.S. Army, Stephenson moved to Kansas City and worked at the City National Bank and City Bond and Mortgage Company while attending the University of Kansas City School of Law. In 1959, after receiving his law degree, Stephenson moved to Hawaii and joined the Bank of Hawaii's mortgage loan department.
"Having a legal education was a great benefit to me, even though I never did practice law," Stephenson said. "In 1959, when Hawaii was in the process of becoming a state, many changes were taking place. Bank of Hawaii needed someone familiar with real estate law, and having a law degree probably landed me that job."
In 1980, Stephenson became president of Bank of Hawaii and its then-parent Bancorp Hawaii. In 1989, he was elected chairman and chief executive officer of both companies -- roles in which he served until his retirement in 1994.
Bank of Hawaii and Bancorp Hawaii played a leading role in the growth of Hawaii in the years since statehood was achieved. The companies expanded their operations throughout the Pacific and Asia during these years.
In addition, Stephenson's many activities have included serving as chairman of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii, chairman of the Hawaii Bankers Association, chairman of the Aloha United Way of Hawaii, member of the board of the Friends of the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, chairman of the Real Estate Division of the American Bankers Association, founding member of the Korea-U.S. Economic Council, a member of the U.S.-Japan Economic Council and treasurer of the Pacific Basin Economic Council. In 1993, he was awarded the prestigious Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese government.
UMKC is grateful to Mr. Stephenson for his support of the School of Law and the Entrepreneurial Legal Services Clinic, which will benefit many students and community members for generations to come. |
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Contact the UMKC Foundation
Online - www.umkcfoundation.org
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