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Above: Jack Kellner (center) proudly holds his Honorary Doctor of Business and Economics in 1992. He is pictured with his son Ted (left) and Dr. Hermann Viets. Left: Ted Kellner (center) beams with pride next to his wife Mary and Dr. John Walz after receiving his honorary doctorate in 2019.
Collaboration Café honors a legacy Ted Kellner cannot think of a better role model in life, business and philanthropy than his late father, Jack Kellner. “My dad was my dad, my mentor and my best friend.” In 2020, Ted made a philanthropic commitment to MSOE to name the Jack F. Kellner Collaboration Café in honor of his father, and to celebrate the partnership Jack had with Dr. Robert Spitzer, MSOE’s third president. Jack spent his 41-year career at Western Industries, a Milwaukee-based manufacturing firm where he served as president. There, he was introduced to Spitzer, starting the mutually beneficial partnership that is memorialized today. “Dad worked with MSOE for two reasons. Number one, he had great respect for Dr. Spitzer and the school. Second, because of that partnership, my dad was able to hire many well-educated engineers for his company,” said Ted. During that time, Spitzer was also working to help MSOE become financially stable. Jack knew just the guy to help—his son, Ted, who had a background in finance and investment. Through Fiduciary Management Inc., Ted managed MSOE’s endowment for more than three decades. He, too, became good friends with Spitzer and gained a mutual respect and admiration for the university. In 1992, Jack received an Honorary Doctor of Business and Economics degree from MSOE, which was under the leadership of Dr. Hermann Viets, MSOE’s fourth president. Ted followed in his father’s footsteps and received an Honorary Doctor of Business and Economics degree from MSOE in 2019.
“Receiving an honorary degree from the same university as my father was doubly special. My dad was a wonderful human being, so if I had the good fortune of being awarded an honorary doctorate just like him, that is a great achievement.” Jack passed away in 2001 at the age of 85. Since his passing, Ted stayed committed to the university’s mission and volunteers as a member of MSOE’s Investment Committee. As for Jack and Spitzer, their commitments to MSOE and the value of their partnership will be illustrated each time students, faculty, staff and community members gather to share a meal in the Jack F. Kellner Collaboration Café inside the Robert Spitzer Dining Commons. “Dad’s relationship with Bob was very special. I am pretty sure Dad is up there watching with Bob right now and is pleased to see their names together. It’s a legacy of two terrific and outstanding giants.”
