Long-time seasonal resident makes $250,000 donation to UPEI School of Business
American businessman Ralph Hostetter, a long-time seasonal resident on Prince Edward Island, has made a $250,000 donation to the School of Business at the University of Prince Edward Island. Ralph Hostetter's gift has been used to support the Business School's capital campaign and to establish an annual scholarship in memory of his friend and business colleague, George Howatt of French River (1912-1988).
George Howatt and his wife Jean operated a mixed farm, growing potatoes, grain, cole crops and cucumbers, as well as raising dairy and beef cattle, hogs, turkeys, ducks and chickens, and honey bees. Howatt was a strong promoter of the Island's agricultural industry, particularly the potato and dairy sectors. He was a founding member and president of the P.E.I. Potato Marketing Board and an active member of other organizations, including the Canadian Horticultural Council.
The George E. Howatt Memorial Scholarship will be given out annually to a student entering the Master of Business Administration program at UPEI. The winner must have a strong academic record, professional accomplishments, entrepreneurial initiative, and demonstrated community involvement and leadership ability.
"We are deeply grateful to Ralph Hostetter for this wonderful and far-sighted contribution," says Dean of Business Roberta MacDonald. "Ralph has forged deep and enduring ties to P.E.I. This generous gift not only honours his long-time friend and neighbour George Howatt, but is also a tremendous vote of confidence in our young people and the future of this Island."
A businessman from Elkton, Maryland, Hostetter is a seasonal resident in French River and has land holdings that include Camelot East Farms. He describes himself as a "conservative newspaper publisher" and is, at present, a columnist for several U.S. internet sites. He writes extensively in the areas of education and agriculture. Many of his columns were published in 1999 in a collection called Publisher's Notebook.
He is chair and publisher of American Farm Publications Inc. in Easton, Maryland, and former president and owner of TriState Publishing Company in Elkton, a chain of 13 community newspapers. He was elected to the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association Newspaper Hall of Fame in 1990. The New Jersey Agricultural Society awarded Hostetter its highest award, the Gold Medallion, in 2003.
The first $5,000 scholarship was awarded on August 12 to incoming MBA student Scott McEwen during the official launch of UPEI's new Master of Business Administration program, which begins in September. He is pictured on the front page of the UPEI website with Dean Roberta MacDonald.
