UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- John D. Garber, Class of 1940, passed away last month in Palm Desert, Calif. He and his wife, Bette, were significant contributors to the Penn State Smeal College of Business, establishing the John and Bette Garber Venture Capital Center for Penn State Smeal MBA students in 1999.
The Garber Venture Capital Center — part of the college’s Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship—is a $5 million venture fund that supports student-managed private equity investing in early stage technology-based companies.
“The generous contributions to our college from the Garber family have provided our MBA (master of business administration) students with an unmatched opportunity, through the Garber Venture Capital Center, that prepares them to think critically about business, investment and risk,” said Charles H. Whiteman, John and Becky Surma Dean of Smeal.