Remembering 'Mort' Mortenson, a dedicated CU Engineering alumnus
Mauritz 鈥淢ort鈥 Mortenson (CivEngr鈥58), who at his home in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at age 82, leaves behind a deep personal and professional legacy.
As chairman of from 1960 to 2015, he was known as a 鈥渉umble servant-leader.鈥 His company built several buildings on the 麻豆影院 campus, including the Champions Center, Indoor Practice Facility and Visual Arts Complex. People who knew him well remember him as genuine, dedicated to his family and a man of integrity.
At the College of Engineering and Applied Science, he will be remembered best for his deep commitment to global engineering education and research through the endowment that created and continues to support the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering.
Bernard Amadei, the founding director of the Mortenson Center, remembers then-Dean Robert H. Davis asking him to pitch his idea for a global engineering program to Mortenson in 2007. Because another faculty member was also making a pitch for a construction engineering management program, Amadei said he didn鈥檛 think he had a chance.
While he was initially surprised when Mortenson and his wife, Alice, chose his program, Amadei knows now that his idea reflected Mortenson鈥檚 dedication to integrating engineering into society and helping people in disadvantaged communities.听
鈥淚 think our idea resonated not only with his professional approach, but also with his family values,鈥 Amadei said. 鈥淲ithout Mort, the center would not have had the same support and impact. They helped us build a program that is unique in the world. I鈥檓 forever grateful to Mort and his family for supporting an idea that, at the time, was kind of risky.鈥
Davis remembers Mortenson dedicating considerable personal time to making sure the gift agreement, which was finalized in 2009, was fully in line with his vision for the center.
鈥淢ort, despite being the chairman of a very large company, really took the time to make sure it was done right,鈥 Davis said. 鈥淗e cared about making sure that the agreement language would ensure for generations the intent of the gift.鈥
During Mortenson鈥檚 yearly visits to campus, both Davis and Amadei said he was most interested in meeting and talking to students about their experiences with global engineering coursework and research.
鈥淗e really had a passion for students, especially undergraduate students,鈥 Davis said. 鈥淗e wanted to make sure their education was well-rounded.鈥
Current Mortenson Center Director Evan Thomas says he looks forward to helping to continue Mortenson鈥檚 legacy.
鈥淢ort valued building a community of service. The family鈥檚 endowment of the Mortenson Center has created a family of CU students, faculty, staff and alumni who are working around the world to alleviate global poverty,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he Mortenson Center will continue to embody Mort's spirit of service.鈥澨
Mortenson was honored with the Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award in 1992, a CU 麻豆影院 George Norlin Award in 2003, and a University Medal from the Board of Regents in 2011. He is survived by Alice, their four sons and their families. Services are scheduled for Nov. 23 in Minneapolis.