4/24/2001
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Trees add to the aesthetic beauty of a campus, provide shade, reduce energy costs and help in the fight against pollution. But trees are also memories of social events, study sessions and sitting back to "capture a moment."
This Arbor Day, Friday, April 27, Peter Secchia, chairman of the board of Universal Forest Products Inc. in Grand Rapids, will participate in a tree-planting ceremony to celebrate his days as an MSU student. The public is welcome to attend the ceremony.
The planting of a 20-foot autumn blaze maple from the Beaumont Nursery will take place at 10:30 a.m. near Bryan Hall where Secchia lived as a freshman during 1955-1956.
"We have a beautiful campus because of all the trees. I remember the good times when I used to sit under a tree and read my books," Secchia said. "Bryan Hall was my first contact with MSU and this is one way to make the quality of life better for the students who are here now."
Secchia, who has been in the lumber business for 40 years, will join Bryan Hall students at the ceremony. The gift for the commemorative tree was provided by the Secchia Family Foundation to celebrate Arbor Day in Michigan.
Universal Forest Products Inc. is a Fortune 500 industrial company encompassing more than 80 manufacturing, engineering and wood preservation facilities in 70 locations in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Honored in 1994 as Michigan's Master Entrepreneur of the Year, Secchia was recognized as the state's outstanding self-made businessman. In 1995 the Economic Club of West Michigan named him Businessman of the Year.
He is a member of numerous political, community and charitable organizations. He has served on a number of organizations for inner city, suburban schools and young people, as well as the Grand Rapids Rotary and the Grand Rapids Economic clubs.
Secchia served as U.S. ambassador to Italy from 1989 to1993 and was presented with the Cavaliere de Gran Croce (The Knight of the Great Cross) for exceptional service in international affairs. He also received the U.S. Department of State Distinguished Honor Award for "having a major impact on U.S. foreign policy."
He is a member of the National Italian-American Foundation Council of 1000. The Washington, D.C.-based organization facility is named "The Amb. Peter F. Secchia Building." He was the founding president of the West Michigan Lodge of the Order Sons of Italy in America, Michigan's largest organization of Italian-American men and women. He is also the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
Secchia also serves on the executive committee of the Gerald R. Ford Foundation, on the boards of trustees of the Bush Presidential Library Foundation and the Baker Institute of Rice University. He is a trustee and chairman of the budget and finance committee for John Cabot University of Rome, Italy.
From 1956 to 1959 he served in the U.S. Marine Corps and graduated from MSU with a degree in economics in 1963. Secchia is an enthusiastic supporter of MSU, where he met his wife, the former Joan Peterson of Midland. They have four children.