Give & GROW
Finance Graduate Makes Gift of Gratitude It has been more than 12 years since John Paffendorf was a finance student in the College of Business and Economics, but the lessons and faces of that formative time remain fresh in his mind.
John Paffendorf ’01
“Dr. Mario Reyes (now Dean Reyes) was a wonderful professor and tutor,” Paffendorf said. “He gave me a lot of great advice that left a lasting impression, such as always to check the footnotes…things that I still remember today.”
Paffendorf clung to these nuggets of wisdom and the other valuable instruction from the Integrated Business Curriculum as he built his career. Today, at just 34 years old, he is among the leading finance professionals in the nation. Recognized as a top 40 financial adviser in the country under the age of 40, Paffendorf, a Morgan Stanley financial adviser in Los Angeles, advises 63 families on their wealth management needs, manages in excess of $1 billion in assets. Paffendorf credits the CBE as a major player in his success. “The experiences I had there really prepared me for life and helped me greatly as a young businessman,” he said.
Graduate Repays Family Debt With Two College Investments Robert D. Dixon ’70, ’71, has committed a $50,000 gift shared between the College of Business Robert D. Dixon ’70, ’71, and Economics and a scholarship named in honor of his brother, Dennis, to benefit students in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Dixon lives in Hillsborough, Calif., and is a managing director of the Menlo Park office of Morgan Stanley. He divides his time between his work in California and his second profession: managing a cattle ranch in Montana. Dixon, an Idaho Falls native, credits the University of Idaho with “having a great deal to do with whatever success I have had professionally.” He cites this as his reason for giving back.
In gratitude, Paffendorf recently donated $25,000 to the college as part of the University of Idaho’s Inspiring Futures campaign. He hopes his support will help provide a student in need the kind of life-changing opportunities that he was fortunate to have.
Dixon has been named one of the top 10 financial advisers in the United States, according to Barron’s. Dean Reyes said the entire college takes great pride in Dixon’s accomplishments.
“The University of Idaho changed my life,” he said. “It was a place where I learned a lot about myself and helped me to become the man I am today.”
“I cannot thank Bob enough for his generous support,” Reyes said. “He is an inspiration, and we look forward to introducing him to our current students who aspire to following a similar professional path.”
“I’m happy to give back.”
Alum Honors Mentor with Named Scholarship It is important to acknowledge the key people who influenced your college career. This was the attitude of Clint Marshall when he established the Lennard Petersen and Clint Marshall Scholarship Endowment in the College of Business and Economics. “Lennard placed a high value on the importance of family and community,” Marshall said. “He was a consistent presence in many of the local children’s lives in Castleford, often helping them to find work or providing transportation and encouraging them to stay in school. He was there for me when I needed some guidance during my sophomore year at University of Idaho. He deserves to be recognized for all the lives he’s touched.” Marshall, a C.P.A. who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business with a major in accounting in 1997, is co-owner of Unicep Packaging Inc., a contract packaging company based in Sandpoint, Idaho. Prior to joining Unicep in 2007 as CFO, Marshall served as director of OEM Development at Telect, Inc. in Liberty Lake, Wash., and as an auditor at Coopers & Lybrand, in Spokane, Wash. Clint Marshall ’97
“Scholarships are critical to providing access to our award-winning business programs,” said Dean Reyes. “Clint is a great example of our successful younger alumni who are kindly giving back and providing support to the next generation of students.” In addition to his financial support, Marshall provides service to the college as a current member of the CBE Advisory Board.
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