Former Art Center senior vice president, secretary of the College’s Board of Trustees, Trustee Emeritus and key College fundraiser Edward Paul Hanak passed away on July 1 at the age of 83.

© Steven A. Heller/Art Center College of Design

A native of Ohio and graduate of Ohio University, Hanak founded and served as the president of his college fraternity. He joined the army after World War II and served in Japan, then was then drafted into the Army and served in the Korean War.

After the military, he attended college on the G.I. Bill. He went on to work with the Greater Cleveland Growth Board, an arm of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, before moving to Pasadena to join Caltech’s development group in 1966.

Hanak joined Art Center in 1969 as vice president of development and, and as key fundraiser, spearheaded the drive to raise funds for the College’s various projects, in particularly the plan to build Hillside Campus. Hanak was at then-president Don Kubly’s side when they found and purchased property in the foothills of Pasadena and negotiated terms to erect the building designed by Craig Ellwood Associates.

Following his retirement from Art Center in 1986, Hanak continued to serve on the Board of Trustees as secretary, eventually honored as Trustee Emeritus.

A memorial celebration for Kubly, who passed away a few short weeks before Hanak, will be held this Saturday, July 30. Appropriately, we’ll take a moment during the program to acknowledge Hanak and his many contributions to Art Center.