Donald M. Gruhn ’49, accomplished financier and one of the university’s most generous benefactors, made no secret of his passion for Lehigh.
“In the many ways I give to Lehigh, the simple reason is because I truly love the place,” Gruhn once explained in an interview. “I love the breathtaking beauty of the campus, the warmth of the faculty and staff, the entire athletics program, the culture of Zoellner, and the fun of chatting with the students.”
Gruhn passed away on December 20, 2024, at the age of 97, leaving behind a powerful legacy of service and philanthropy.
“While I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing Don personally, we are grateful for his generosity to the College of Business and the university, which has enriched the Lehigh experience for countless students. His impact will continue to be felt for generations,” said Manoj Malhotra, Kevin L. and Lisa A. Clayton Dean of the College of Business.
Gruhn was a longtime member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the College of Business and, with his wife, established the Judy and Donald M. Gruhn ’49 Endowed Scholarship Fund, supporting undergraduate students with a preference for those majoring in finance.
“I am so enormously impressed with the knowledge of these students. I know many of them are at Lehigh because of scholarships, and I wanted to be a part of that,” Gruhn said when the fund was created in 2004. Since then, the scholarship — which will continue in perpetuity — has helped 13 students receive a Lehigh education.
Lorraine Wiedorn ’84G ’13P ’17P, assistant vice president for planned giving and family philanthropy, worked with Don and Judy Gruhn over the course of several decades to create their philanthropic legacy. “Don’s giving always came from the heart,” she said. “He always had our students and our faculty top of mind in terms of what guided his decisions.”
The Gruhns’ generosity has been diverse and far-reaching, benefiting Lehigh Athletics, the Lehigh Fund, Zoellner Arts Center, the Mustard and Cheese Drama Society, the Department of Journalism and Communication, and the Brown and White student newspaper. They also created an endowment fund for the technology, software, and data needs of the Bosland Financial Services Lab and supported the renovations of Linderman Library, the construction of the STEPS building and the Business Innovation Building, and most recently the Clayton University Center at Packer Hall.
In 2008, Don Gruhn established an endowment for the Donald M. Gruhn ’49 Distinguished Finance Speaker Series, thus formalizing his long tradition of bringing speakers to campus to address students on business topics. Speakers have included Philips CMO Lorraine Barber-Miller ’96, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert ’86, and most recently Daniel Pietrzak ’97 ’28P, partner and global head of private credit at KKR.
Gruhn graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in business administration. He was a member of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity, the Glee Club/Choral Arts Club, the men’s soccer team, and Mustard and Cheese. He was also actively involved in the Brown and White.
After graduation, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard during WWll before beginning his career with Colen-Gruhn Company Inc., a radio, television, and appliance distributorship. He then spent 45 years in the financial services industry, including membership on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and general partnership in two firms. He retired in 1996 from Benjamin Jacobson & Sons, a leading specialist on the NYSE trading floor.
Gruhn was a member of the 1865 Society, an honor afforded to Lehigh’s most generous benefactors, as well as the Martindale Society and the Tower Society, which recognizes those who have made planned gifts or gifts to the Lehigh endowment.
Gifts in his memory can be made to the Donald and Judy Gruhn '49 Endowed Scholarship Fund at Lehigh University at give.lu or by calling (610) 758-4749.
