MILLS TRUSTEE LORRY I. LOKEY NAMED A LEADING U.S. PHILANTHROPIST 

Oakland, CA - Lorry I. Lokey, a Mills College Trustee and major donor, has been named among the nation’s most generous philanthropists in The Chronicle of Philanthropy (“Record-Breaking Giving,” February 22, 2007). Ranked 10th on the list of 60 philanthropists, he gave away $163 million in 2006. Lokey is one of 21 Americans noted for giving away more than $100 million last year—a new record in philanthropic giving. This is the seventh year in a row that he has been recognized on the Chronicle’s annual list.

The founder and former chairman of Business Wire, a worldwide news release distributor, Lokey has donated nearly $30 million to Mills in recent years. $20 million of these gifts have been instrumental in supporting Mills’ highly successful Graduate School of Business. Plans are currently underway to construct a new 28,500 square-foot building for the School, encompassing the best of contemporary architecture and educational technology on behalf of women’s leadership. 

According to Lokey, his gifts to Mills are “an investment in the future because education and women’s advancement are the future. Mills gives students the opportunities they dream of, and empowers them to work on eliminating discrimination against women.” Lokey said he expects Mills’ business school to be among the best in the country. “I support the MBA program so that other people—especially women—will have the advantages I have had and will contribute back to the world.”

“We are deeply grateful for the tremendous generosity of Lorry Lokey and the significant impact his philanthropy is making on our students’ lives. He has been instrumental in helping us to build outstanding academic programs that open doors for our graduates,” said Mills President Janet L. Holmgren. “We treasure Lorry for his unwavering support of women’s advancement in the workplace, and his commitment to educational programs enabling our students to transform society.” 

Lokey has also supported the Mills College Children's School, funding an innovative component of the College’s School of Education. The School is a highly respected training venue for early childhood education professionals and provides a quality education to infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers, and kindergarten through fifth grade students.

Lokey received an honorary degree from Mills in 2004. In 2003, Lokey was honored by the Association for Women in Communications for advancing women in the communications industry. 

Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering innovative degree programs for undergraduate women, and graduate degree and certificate programs for women and men. Consistently recognized as one of the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Mills currently ranks among the top 20 most diverse liberal arts colleges. The New York Times recently selected Mills as one of three leading California colleges for students to consider.

In 2006, the Washington Monthly College Rankings named Mills a leading liberal arts college based on community service, research spending, quality of preparation for graduate education, and social mobility. In addition, The Princeton Review’s annual guide, the Best 361 Colleges (2007) included Mills for the second year in a row among top U.S. institutions offering students an outstanding undergraduate education.

Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California on 135 lush acres, Mills provides a dynamic liberal arts education fostering women’s leadership, social responsibility, and creativity.

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