Pavel Savor, Martin Essenburg, Misty Johanson, Barbara Keeley, Kevin Keeley, Mark Keeley, and Elijah Brewer (from left to right).
In October 2018, DePaul University faculty, staff, students and industry partners, along with Keeley Family, friends, supporters and colleagues, gathered to celebrate the renaming of the of the John L. Keeley Center for Financial Services. Hosted at the historic Chicago Club on E Van Buren St and Michigan Ave, the venue provided an elegant backdrop for this special evening and celebration to commemorate the life of John L. Keeley Jr. Keeley founded Keeley Asset Management Corp., now Keeley Teton Advisors, in 1982 and oversaw its growth as chief investment officer until he passed away in 2015.
The recent $3 million donation from the Keeley family will allow the Department of Finance to improve its curricula by adding a Wealth Management Academy. This academy will train finance students in financial planning and teach them how to manage investment portfolios. The Keeley Center will also recognize exemplary finance students as “Keeley Scholars.” Keeley Scholar status will afford these students opportunities to participate in professional development workshops, mentoring, and to pursue internships that align with career goals and interests. The Keeley family has previously donated $2 million to create an endowed academic chair position and $1 million to furnish a virtual trading room for finance students.
Guests in attendance at the Keeley celebration and gathering included longtime friends and colleagues of the Keeley family, DePaul faculty, staff and students, industry partners, the Dean of the Business School, Misty Johanson, and DePaul President, A. Gabriel Esteban. Keeley’s son John L. Keeley III, who spoke at the event, highlighted how proud his father would be . The Keeley family’s generous contribution to DePaul and its students will undoubtedly ensure that the vision and legacy of John L. Keeley Jr. lives on for years to come.