Old Main Weekend - Spirit of Old Main Award

 

 

 

Their circle of influence continues to grow. No longer bound by even international borders, it enriches individual lives, communities, institutions and organizations in the same quiet way — ripple by profound ripple.

 

They seek no applause, only the chance to make a difference, to perhaps provide impetus to a solution. They inspire, they lead, they roll up their sleeves and they get things done.

 

The philanthropic support Jim and Carol Laub have so graciously shared with Utah State University has become an irreplaceable part of its past, present and future. Through their many, many valued gifts, the Laubs have helped USU effect positive change, not only in the physical look and feel of the campus, but in the hearts of countless other friends of the university who consistently follow their generous lead. Often counted among the first to get behind a project or to address a specific need, the Laubs recognize that philanthropy’s true power does not necessarily end on the balance sheet, rather in the passion and conviction generated when caring people truly believe they can help shape lives.

 

A 1974 graduate of Utah State, Jim Laub is president and chief executive officer of Cache Valley Electric, now an international contracting firm as highly regarded for its superior work as it is for its interpersonal relationships with both employees and customers. In 1982, when Jim became CEO of the company his grandfather founded, it employed three dozen people. Today Cache Valley Electric has offices across the nation and benefits from the efforts of more than 1,000 employees. The company has been named one of the top 50 electrical contractors in the nation, has numerous times been honored as the Outstanding Large Electrical Contractor of the Year, and Jim himself has been recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young.

                       

But while such facts attempt to explain the influence Jim and Carol have on their community and in our world, they are, in the end, mere facts, incapable of conveying the Laubs’ true and cherished legacy. Those who best know Jim and Carol realize that with every check also comes tireless effort as champions of their community and Utah State University; that with every tangible gift also comes an immeasurable outpouring of heart. They have — on a very significant level — supported athletics and the arts, scholarships and facilities. But they have also invested precious time and personal influence so that everyone at Utah State might better understand the sustaining spirit of philanthropy and its associated call to action.

 

Their inexhaustible efforts to make a difference include Carol’s service on the board for the Cache Valley Center for the Arts, as a board member with the Logan City School Foundation and as a member of the A.C. Woman’s Club. For his part, Jim has served on the USU Foundation Board of Directors and on the USU Board of Trustees. He has been president of the Big Blue Club, served on the board of directors of The Sunshine Terrace Foundation and was appointed a board member of the Logan-Cache Airport Authority.

 

For their tireless service, perpetual loyalty, their consistent and abundant gifts to Utah State University and for the inspiration they instill in everyone at Utah State, the university proudly bestows the Spirit of Old Main Award on Jim and Carol Laub.

 

Contact: Tim Vitale (435) 797-1356, tim.vitale@usu.edu