DePaul University Athletics
Ustian Pours His Heart into Arena Fundraising
8/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
More Information: Event Center at McCormick Square | Supporting DePaul Athletics
CHICAGO - There is such passion in Dan Ustian's voice as he marvels about how precious and rare it is to memorialize your family name in what will become an iconic Chicago structure.
DePaul alumnus Ustian heads up the Event Center at McCormick Square fundraising committee that is charged with helping finance one of the most ambitious projects in the university's history.
Located in the rapidly thriving South Loop community in the shadow of McCormick Place, the new facility will feature a basketball arena that will be the home court for the Blue Demons men's and women's basketball teams.
It will host a number of other university events along with concerts, shows and conventions in conjunction with DePaul's partnership with the city of Chicago and the MPEA (Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority).
"This is an incredible opportunity to be a part of building what will be a universally celebrated structure in Chicago," Ustian said about his contribution in naming the Alex Ustian Donor Wall after his father, who passed away in 2011. "Whether it's the Event Center naming rights, having your family name on a wall inside or becoming a corporate sponsor, you can become part of a legacy.
"Look around Chicago at all the great structures like the Willis Tower, McCormick Place, Hancock Building, Field Museum, Wrigley Field and so many others. The Event Center will take its place right alongside those and you can say it was because of you.
"Don't you think a lot of people would love to have their family name associated with Wrigley Field right about now? With the Event Center, only a limited number of people are going to have that chance. And that name will be there forever."
Ustian paused to imagine seeing the Alex Ustian Donor Wall for the first time when the new arena opens in 2017.
"There will be a lot of emotion thinking about my father, especially with my family there as well," Ustian said. "It's going to be an emotional day for all of us.
"My dad was like the Ray Meyer of our family. In his 91 years, he never had an enemy and you couldn't find anyone who had a bad word to say about him. He was all about hard work and being humble."
Alex Ustian left school to enlist in the U.S. Navy and fight for his country in World War II. When his wife Maggie brought baby Dan into the world, dad went to work as a machinist---a job he had for more than 40 years. Dan Ustian is the embodiment of the university's mission---a first-generation student attending college at DePaul.
"For 25 years, my dad worked two jobs a day," Dan Ustian recalled. "I can remember when I was eight years old, he would come home exhausted at 8:30 p.m. and I would greet him with: 'Let's play catch.' No matter how tired he was, he never failed to grab his glove and off we'd go.
"My dad loved sports and played on Thornton's famous "Flying Clouds" basketball team with legendary Hall of Famer Lou Boudreau whose family lived on the same block in Harvey. My dad later became an outstanding fast-pitch softball ace and went 60-0 one season with his Indiana-based team. He was an avid bowler into his late 80s.
"I played baseball, softball, football, golf, and whenever I had games, he was always there. He might show up late at times, but he managed to find time to come watch me play while still working two shifts.
"What a wonderful man."
And now, this wonderful man's oldest child is working overtime to help the Blue Demons realize a dream of bringing basketball back to the city even as coach Dave Leitao and his program strive to restore DePaul's rich tradition.
"DePaul has so many ways to help people become involved," Ustian said. "Say you want to contribute $100,000 to name something inside the arena and you have five family members. That's $20,000 per person, and you can spread it out over five years. Now, that's only $4,000 a year.
"What if grandma and grandpa, some aunts and uncles and maybe a cousin want to join in. With 10 people and using the same formula, it's $2,000 a year.
"And your family legacy will be right there in the heart of one of the world's greatest cities. It will be part of a thriving community that is growing by leaps and bounds. Along with the new arena, the Marriott is building a hotel and others will follow. There are new restaurants and stores coming in, boutiques and the revitalization of Motor Row. A 900-unit condo complex is going up, and there will be two El stops near the Event Center.
"People are spending money because they believe in it. A big-name restaurant like Gibson's is going in there because they have the confidence this is going to be a showcase---and we are the cornerstone of what's going to become 'Wrigleyville South.'
At a meeting last week, potential investors went up to the deck at McCormick Place West right across from the Event Center, took in the dramatic view and expressed surprise at how quickly the arena is being built.
"They began to understand much more about the largest Catholic university in the country and were very impressed with its mission of reaching out and helping first-generation college students," Ustian said. "They were blown away that the cumulative grade-point average of all Blue Demon student-athletes was an amazing 3.46 and that women's basketball, golf and softball are historically among the top team GPAs in the country for their respective sports."
In addition, for the sixth year in a row, DePaul led the BIG EAST with the most programs earning the highest team GPA in their respective sports. In 2015-16, women's indoor track, women's outdoor track, men's soccer, women's tennis, volleyball and softball werfe honored with the BIG EAST Team Academic Excellence Award.
"There are four ways people can get involved," Ustian said. "First, you can make a contribution. Second, there are individual naming rights which is what I did for my dad. Third is the corporate side where you can become a corporate partner. Fourth is the suites and premium seating along with season tickets.
"Remember, those in suites, premium seating and full season ticketholders will have priority access to other events and concerts at the Event Center. Imagine what that would mean for some performer like Adele?
"We have been DePaul-centric up to this point, connecting with alumni and others with strong ties to the university and its athletic program. We're going to begin opening up the process to the rest of the city."
Ustian chairs the fundraising committee that includes Peter Argianas (Business, 1990), Ray Cahnman (Mathematics, 1968), Dave Corzine (Education, 1978), Heather Carmody (Business, 1993, Law, 1999), Edward Fellin (Business, 1981), Jim Jenness (Business, 1968, MBA Marketing, 1971), Jeff Kroll (Business, 1987, Law, 1990), Mark McNabola (Communications, 1981, Law, 1985), Joe Ponsetto (Education, 1978, Law, 1982), Joni Phillips (Nursing, 1982), Jessica Sarowitz, Economics, 1991) and Bobby Simmons (Communications, 2014).
Just like his father, Dan Ustian came from a humble upbringing that placed a premium on hard work. While attending classes at DePaul, he also held down the third shift at a local steel company as a clerk in metallurgy. He worked from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m. and went to class in the afternoon and evenings.
He embodies the DePaul story, rising up from that third shift to become chairman, president and CEO of a major international corporation.
DePaul President Dennis H. Holtschneider asked Ustian, who earned his business degree from DePaul in 1973, to lead the fundraising effort. Ustian was elected a member of the DePaul University Board of Trustees in 2006 and was also co-chair of DePaul's hugely successful "Many Dreams, One Mission" capital campaign which surpassed its goal of $250 million and raised $333 million.
"I took on this challenge because of my connection to the athletic department and because it is such a good cause in support of DePaul," Ustian said. "I've been close people like Jeanne (athletics director Jean Lenti Ponsetto) for a long time and I know what she has done for DePaul for so many years.
"This was an opportunity like never before, to build an arena that will match up to any other. Think of one other arena in this country that has the setting we have with a university that is so education-focused and an athletic department that stays so true to its convictions.
"I give people like Father Dennis and executive vice-president Jeff Bethke all the credit for negotiating such a great partnership between DePaul, the city and the MPEA (Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority)."
Ustian is counting the days until the Event Center is ready to roll.
"We're going to have a gorgeous, tightly-wound 10,000-seat arena in one of the fastest-rising communities anywhere," he said. "It will be easily accessible by public transportation, and the Dan Ryan, Stevenson and Eisenhower expressways along with Lake Shore Drive all connect to our place. Nobody has that.
"And we made sure financing for the Event Center did not fall on the shoulders of our students and their tuition. This is like a dream."
