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LOGAN — One of the largest graduating classes in the history of Utah State University's Jon M. Huntsman School of Business got a little more than it expected Saturday when it ended up with two commencement speakers.
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Utah State University invites businessman and entrepreneur L. John Wilkerson to speak at graduation commencement ceremony Satruday, May 8.Karen Huntsman, the scheduled commencement speaker, drafted her husband, Jon M. Huntsman to say a few words.
She said that when she travels with her husband to speaking engagements he will often call on her to speak, so Saturday she turned the tables and asked him to talk to the students, family and friends in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
“I don’t know that we could have achieved some of the things in life unless we worked as a team,” he said. “Karen was always at my side. She always offered wonderful sound advice and she was a remarkable consultant in every way. We have built what we built as a team and we’ve done it together.”
You know what Jon (Huntsman Sr. ) had going for him was an incredible work ethic. He wasn't afraid to be the first at work and the last to leave.
–Karen Huntsman
Karen Huntsman, vice president and director of the Huntsman Corporation, also received an honorary doctorate.
More than 830 students graduated from the Huntsman School of Business this spring, and was the first time that Jon M. and Karen Huntsman addressed the school since it was renamed after him in 2007 when they donated $26 million to University and the Huntsman School of Business.
Dean Douglas D. Anderson said Karen Huntsman played a vital role in the expanding the family business. He said Forbes Magazine once called her the “Chairman of the Chairman.” In addition, he talked about the causes that Karen Huntsman has supported and noted that in April the Huntsman’s announced that $41 million would be added to the $300 million they have already contributed to the Huntsman Cancer Institute.
We discussed integrity and honor because without integrity and honor we have nothing. Unless we have a sense of fair play and a moral compass in our hearts, we have nothing.
–Jon Huntsman Sr.
Karen Huntsman spoke of the challenging path that she had her husband have traveled since he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School. She said that even in their early married days her husband was trying to find ways to give and help people in need. She said he would tackle problems one at a time and was optimistic about their ability to overcome challenges.
“You know what Jon had going for him was an incredible work ethic” she said. “He wasn’t afraid to be the first at work and the last to leave.”
Jon Huntsman said he’d once been asked to write a book about ethics and leadership. He told of a talk he had with the leader of what was the largest company in the world at the time as he was interviewing people for the book.
“We discussed integrity and honor because without integrity and honor we have nothing,” he said. “Unless we have a sense of fair play and a moral compass in our hearts, we have nothing.”
He advised the graduates not to cut corners but to be ethical, honorable and to “play by the rules.”
