Philanthropy
In 2002, Glenn donated $7.5 million to the University of Auckland for the development of the Business School’s premises and facilities and ongoing improvements. This contribution is believed to be the largest private donation in New Zealand educational history, and was driven by Mr. Glenn's belief in the business school's mission and in the benefits high quality business education holds for New Zealand business and society. As a result of this gift the business school’s complex, opened in early 2008, was named the Owen G. Glenn Building. Owen Glenn followed his initial $7.5 million donation by, in 2008, donating an additional $500,000 to establish the Barry Spicer and Owen G Glenn PhD Scholarships. These scholarships received matched funding of $250,000.
Glenn was also the potential candidate for diplomatic posting overseas in Monaco, where he would represent the people of New Zealand interest's there. His political donations to the New Zealand Labour Party and the New Zealand First Party, which both the political parties denied receiving, caused some controversy in New Zealand politics.
On 9 September 2008, Glenn voluntarily provided evidence to the New Zealand Parliament's Privileges Committee regarding the accuracy of statements made by Winston Peters, Leader of the New Zealand First Party, about the donations Mr. Glenn had given to Peters. Parliament ultimately censured Peters for failing to declare the donations, which New Zealand Law requires of all political parties. Glenn was thanked by Parliament.
Mr. Glenn supports a number of international charities through The Glenn Family Foundation and helped establish the International SeaKeepers Society. Owen Glenn provided huge support for Hockey NZ through the Glenn Family Foundation, this has helped Hockey NZ achieve rights to the hosting of the 2011 Champions Trophy which was taken from India due to organisation failures.
Following a 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck New Zealand's South Island in February 2011, Owen Glenn donated $1 million to the Christchurch quake recovery fund on behalf of the Glenn Family Foundation. He stated "I grew up in New Zealand, it holds a special place in my heart and to see such devastation, such hurt and such loss makes you want to help. This donation is something I can do and I strongly urge other expatriate business people to do the same. We all need to pull together and while we are a small country, it is a country made up of people with huge hearts. That's what gets you through in times like this."
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Famous quotes containing the word philanthropy:
“I shall not be forward to think him mistaken in his method who quickest succeeds to liberate the slave. I speak for the slave when I say that I prefer the philanthropy of Captain Brown to that philanthropy which neither shoots me nor liberates me.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“... the hey-day of a woman’s life is on the shady side of fifty, when the vital forces heretofore expended in other ways are garnered in the brain, when their thoughts and sentiments flow out in broader channels, when philanthropy takes the place of family selfishness, and when from the depths of poverty and suffering the wail of humanity grows as pathetic to their ears as once was the cry of their own children.”
—Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815–1902)
“Almost every man we meet requires some civility,—requires to be humored; he has some fame, some talent, some whim of religion or philanthropy in his head that is not to be questioned, and which spoils all conversation with him. But a friend is a sane man who exercises not my ingenuity, but me.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)