  | Milton "Bud" Chamberlain '52 | ||||||
Profile in GivingThe year was 1948, and veterans taking advantage of the G.I. Bill swarmed colleges nationwide. Milton "Bud" Chamberlain, fresh out of the Marines and back in his hometown of Saddle River, N.J., resorted to cold calling colleges and universities to find available space. "I was calling every college to help me out. I didn't care where it was. Rhode Island State had one seat left, and I grabbed it," Chamberlain recalls. That phone call brought Chamberlain to the Kingston Campus where he worked as a pressman in the college's first print shop and ultimately earned a B.S. in General Business Administration. This practical experience, coupled with his degree, led him to a successful sales career in the paper industry. Chamberlain set out on his own in 1968 when his employer wanted him to relocate to Chicago. Rather than uproot his family again, he and a business partner purchased a Nashville, Tenn., based paper distributor, Athens Paper Co. Under their tutelage, Athens grew into a $360-million enterprise with 11 branches across the Southeast. Satisfied with one prosperous company yet intrigued by the challenge of another business opportunity, Chamberlain purchased Idea Art, Inc., a maker of illustrated paper for desktop publishing, in 1988. He quickly moved the New York based company to Tennessee and turned Idea Art into one of the largest companies of its kind in America. With two successful companies in Nashville, Chamberlain is committed to the local community and supports it with time and treasure. "Bud generously donates to the community," says his wife, Carla. "He always makes his plane and the company house available to charitable organizations. He gives to every group; they are just too numerous to mention." In recognition of his generosity, contributions, and dedication, the Nashville Advertising Federation recently presented Chamberlain with an honorary lifetime membership. He also received the prestigious Governor's Award from the American Advertising Federation's 7th District. Like his companies, which maintain multi-state operations, Chamberlain's generosity extends beyond Tennessee. He consistently donates to URI's Annual Fund. While he has the option of applying his gifts to specific campaigns and/or scholarship funds, he chooses the Annual Fund because it provides flexible funding that can be put to immediate use. "I like to put my money in unrestricted accounts so the Univer-sity can use it any way it wants. That's pretty important," says Chamberlain. Although Chamberlain chose URI under unusual circumstances, he developed lasting relationships here and still returns to keep in touch with friends. Parkinson's disease may be slowing his step, but he remains active with his businesses and responsive to community needs. To the University's good fortune, Chamberlain understands the importance of giving back and offers this advice to fellow alumni: "Don't wait until you're 100 years old to make a donation." --Maria V. Caliri '86, M.B.A. '92 |
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