Qubein transforming HPU
By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, April 10, 2006
High Point — In just over a year since Nido Qubein became president of High Point University, the school has begun a major transformation.
It has launched what its leaders envision as a $100 million building program between now and 2010, with renovations to existing buildings and several additions, including a business school, a student life and wellness center, a residence hall and an athletic park.
Much of the program will be supported by a hugely successful fund-raising campaign that Qubein announced shortly after he became the university's seventh president on Jan. 3, 2005. His goal was to raise $10 million in 60 days, but he wound up raising $20 million in half that time. By year's end, the total stood at $47.5 million.
Located in the heart of the home furnishings industry and home to one of the best-known home furnishings programs in the country, HPU owes much of its recent success to Qubein, a self-made businessman who came to this country from Lebanon as a teen-ager. At the time, he had $50 in his pocket and knew little English.
His perseverance led him to master the language and become one of the nation's top motivational speakers.
He has written books and created numerous audio and video learning programs, and is chair of several companies, including Great Harvest Bread Co.; McNeill Lehman, a public relations firm; BizLife magazine and Creative Services Inc.
Qubein, who succeeded Jacob Martinson as HPU president, had no prior academic experience. But the university's board sought him out for the job, believing that his business expertise would lend itself well to the university. Qubein said he gave the offer much thought before accepting.
Looking back at his first year, Qubein attributes his success to having a vision and a plan, and the ability to communicate that plan to the community.
"It's about hard work, excellent communication and a dogged determination to execute on every detail, every day," he said. He drives around campus to see what needs doing. "I follow up on the details. I make sure things get done. I make sure they don't slip."
He said the mission of the university is to provide an outstanding education in a fun environment with caring people.
A big part of the strategy is to improve existing facilities and add new ones where needed, a process he started by inspecting every building on campus. The goal is to make the facilities more livable, attractive and community-oriented.
He fixed dorms and instituted other student-centered improvements such as daily live music in the cafeteria, plasma TVs in student lounges and kiosks on campus that serve muffins and hot chocolate in cold weather and ice cream when it's warm.
All told, Qubein said, the school launched 148 improvement projects in his first year. Some are complete, others in progress.
The idea is that things are indeed happening and that he and his staff have what it takes to execute the plan.
Such thinking convinced many supporters to donate money and time. That includes High Point furniture industry veteran Earl N. "Phil" Phillips Jr., who is helping fund the school of business, part of which is the Knabusch-Shoemaker International School of Home Furnishings and Design, named after the founders of La-Z-Boy.
"Nido provided the impetus and the motivation and the salesmanship to convince us to (launch the business school) now," said Phillips. "He's a miracle maker and he's done a great job."
While fundraising is always a challenge, Qubein believes the way that goals are communicated is a key.
"It's all about trust and going to people and saying we can do this, we can make this thing happen," he said. "Every one of the donors knows me and has trusted me. I visited them face to face and said, 'Let me share with you the vision and spell out the strategy and extend to you an invitation to be a partner in this exceptional plan.'"
Phillips and others are pleased with the results. In addition to an aggressive building program, the school has seen increases in applications for enrollment.
"We are all banking on High Point University becoming a much more in-demand institution for students from around the country and world," said Phillips.
This year, the university has 1,850 students from 41 states and 52 countries. Over the next five years, Qubein expects to see that rise to 2,350, including a projected 350 graduate students, up from 250 today.
Qubein believes HPU will continue to be a positive force in the home furnishings industry. He expects a close alliance will continue between home furnishings students and the High Point market, where students work and learn valuable skills.
He also believes the home furnishings program, with its close relationship with the business school and its new Plato S. Wilson School of Commerce, will help produce some of the industry's future leaders.
Among those who are pleased with Qubein's leadership is Geoff Beaston, CEO of Fine Furniture Design & Marketing, a company started by the late Lawrence Moh. Moh and his wife, Celia, have endowed two scholarship programs at the university.
"What Nido has done at High Point University is exciting," Beaston said. "It's the kind of excitement we need in this community. I admire what he has done, speaking on behalf of a company founded by a man that put his emphasis on education."
