CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Thomas M. Siebel, founder, chairman and CEO of Siebel Systems Inc., was presented with the University of Illinois Presidential Award and Medallion on Oct. 30 by UI President James J. Stukel.
Siebel, who founded the $2 billion software giant in 1993, earned three degrees from the Urbana campus: a bachelors in history (1975), a masters in business administration (1983) and a masters in computer science (1985). He was recognized by BusinessWeek in January 2001 as one of the top 25 managers in the world.
Stukel made the award in recognition of Siebels “commitment to excellence in software engineering, computer science research, and graduate education, and to his continuing commitment and generosity to his alma mater.”
In 1999, Siebel donated $32 million to the Urbana campus to help construct the Thomas M. Siebel Center for Computer Science, scheduled for completion in 2003. A corporate gift from Siebel Systems in 2000 established the Siebel Scholars Fellowship Program at the nations top 11 computer science and business colleges, including the computer science department at the Urbana campus.
“The University of Illinois is recognized as a global leader in information technology,” Siebel said. “I am honored to receive this recognition. As someone who has benefited greatly from the leadership of the university, it is my pleasure to play a continued role in the success of this institution.”
The Presidential Award and Medallion were established in 1984 by Stanley Ikenberry, who then was UI president, to recognize alumni and friends of the university whose professional and humanitarian contributions have been especially noteworthy. Ten people have received the honor.
Previous recipients of the award and medallion include Masaru Ibuka, founder of Sony Corp. (1991); James Reston, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist (1992); and Sir Arthur C. Clarke, the author of “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1998).
Siebel received the award at the fall 2001 meeting of the Silicon Valley Roundtable, held at the Garden Court Hotel in Palo Alto, Calif. Established in 1997, the group is composed of a board of business leaders who are UI alumni working on the West Coast. They advise Stukel and the UI Foundation on technology, business and alumni issues.
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