Wife Put Her Money Where Fund-Raising Spouse’s Mouth Was
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ORANGE — Chapman University President James Doti thought the business executive was kidding.
George Fisher, chief executive of Eastman Kodak Co., was speaking at a university fund-raiser April 17 when he offhandedly mentioned a conversation he’d had with his wife at home.
Ann Wallace Fisher had promised that if no one showed up to hear her husband’s speech, she would pony up $200,000 to the university so the fund-raiser wouldn’t be a flop.
Fisher drew laughter when he recounted that to a crowd of more than 1,000.
He may have been joking, but the check was in the mail anyway.
On Friday, Doti said in a statement that he was stunned to open an envelope and find a $200,000 gift from Ann Wallace Fisher, a 1964 Chapman alumna. That’s in addition to nearly $200,000 raised from other sources at the forum.
Doti said the Fisher gift will endow a presidential scholarship.
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