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Alumnus gives $1 million

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by Nick Penzenstadler

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

A University of Wisconsin alumnus donated $1 million Monday to the UW Pharmaceutical Experimental Station — the same laboratory that bears his name.

After more than 60 years in the pharmacy profession, 92-year-old Lenor Zeeh, a 1936 graduate of the UW School of Pharmacy, said he hopes the money will help continue research at the new building.

"They are making quite a bit of progress with this experimental lab and they needed more money," Zeeh said in a phone interview with The Badger Herald. "And fortunately, I could handle the million dollars so I gave it to the university."

According to Lynn Van Campen, director of the Lenor Zeeh Experimental Station, Zeeh's gift is the largest single donation the station has received.

Van Campen added the donation would allow the station to continue to discover new medicines and translate them from compounds to pharmacy shelves.

"This is a very special gift for us — as an endowment it will continue to provide some incoming funds," Van Campen said. "We have received many other gifts but not a million; this is very special to us."

With the new funds, Zeeh Station researchers will continue to develop several vital treatments, Van Campen added.

"One of the large programs we've been working on is supporting the development of anticancer medicine from research conducted across the School of Pharmacy pharmacology," Van Campen said. "The work is also supported by the National Cancer Institute."

According to Ed Elder, associate director of Zeeh Station, the Rennebohm Foundation also donated $1.5 million in 2001 to the School of Pharmacy to reopen Rennebohm Hall in 2003.

Zeeh said Oscar Rennebohm personally hired him for the regional pharmacy chain where he worked from 1935-1980 before it was sold to Walgreens.

Elder said the Zeeh Station works with campus-based research companies, as well as large pharmaceutical companies.

"[The donation] will help us to again really live out the mission we have in the station to support outreach from the university, and education and process of drug development," Elder said. "And (to) serve the continuing educational need for scientists in the industry, and support the activities assisting researchers across campus."

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