Portland native makes gift to IU

A family foundation established by a Portland native has made a $16 million gift to the Indiana University Kelley School of Business in Bloomington.

The gift from the Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation will be divided among four priorities, the university said in a press release:

•$10 million will go to create the Brian D. Jellison Studio Classroom, which will provide online students the experience of being in a live classroom.

•$5.8 million will support the Brian D. Jellison Living Learning Center, a residential program that now involves 550 freshman business school students each ear. The program helps students “identify their strengths, interests and talents” through special programs and travel opportunities.

•$100,000 will be used to create the Brian D. Jellison Financial Literacy series of courses, which will be offered at no cost.

•$100,000 in support of scholarships for study abroad opportunities.

Jellison, a 1963 graduate of Portland High School and a 1968 graduate of Indiana University, died in November 2018 after a battle with cancer. The son of Gareth and Caroline (Madden) Jellison, he worked in his family’s hardware store in Portland in his youth. Jellison Hardware was located on Main Street adjacent to what was then the McClurg’s store.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree in business economics and public policy from IU, he went on to earn a master’s degree in business from Columbia University. He built a successful career in the business world at General Electric and Ingersoll-Rand.

In 2001, he became president and chief executive officer of Roper Technologies in Sarasota, Florida.

Under his leadership, Roper doubled its revenues through a series of acquisitions in global growth markets.

It employs more than 15,000 globally and has annual revenues of more than $1.2 billion.

Brian Jellison led the company for 17 years until his death.

During his years at Roper, the company grew its market capitalization from $1.5 billion to over $30 billion.

In 2018 Institutional Investor recognized him as the “Best CEO” in the electrical equipment and multi-industry sector. In 2014 and 2018, Harvard Business Review named him as one of the best performing corporate CEOs in the world.

Roper operates in four industry segments: radio frequency identification communication technology, medical and scientific imaging, industrial technology and energy systems and controls.

“This is a truly transformational gift in that it touches so many aspects of the Kelley School, IU president Michael McRobbie said in a prepared statement. “Naming the Kelley Living Learning Center in honor of Brian Jellison is particularly noteworthy, given that Mr. Jellison was widely recognized as an innovative and revered leader of the highest integrity. He brought great pride to IU, and his life story lives on.”

Sheila Jellison, his wife of 52 years, said, “Education was first and foremost to Brian. Given an education in the field you want to pursue opens all kinds of doors. You give back when you can, and IU was our first choice.”

A dedication for the Living Learning Center is set for Feb. 29 on the Bloomington IU campus.