Halim and Aida Daniel Academic and Clinical Center
You can read more about the AUB 2020 Medical Complex [Here].
The American University of Beirut (AUB) is pleased to announce a donation of $32 million from Jamal Daniel and The Levant Foundation toward the University’s Medical Center expansion. This gift represents the largest single donation to AUB in its 147 year history.
The gift is in support of the AUBMC 2020 Vision, a comprehensive project that will transform the delivery of health and medical care in Lebanon and the region. The AUBMC 2020 Vision initiative includes the construction of new clinical and research facilities, acquisition of state-of-the art equipment for research, diagnostics and treatment, and the ongoing recruitment of leading physicians and specialists from around the world. It is the university’s most ambitious project since the founding of the medical center in 1902.
The extraordinary gift is from The Levant Foundation, founded by Jamal Daniel in Houston, Texas. Daniel is an accomplished international businessman with over 30 years of experience managing global investments in oil and gas, telecommunications, high technology, media, manufacturing, and real estate. He is an esteemed member of the International Advisory Board of AUB and holds other board positions including Chairmanship of the Board of Al-Monitor, a media website based in Washington, D.C., and an honorary membership of the Board of Trustees of Balamand University in Beirut. He previously held positions as a member of the Board of Directors of Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, and the Board of the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management in Houston, Texas. Mr. Daniel has long been considered by AUB for a seat on its Board of Trustees, but he has indicated his inability to accept due to his many business commitments. [Link]
AUB–Check the facts. Jamal has never been on the Pepperdine Board of directors. Easy for you to confirm. His business self-description is embellished. His foundation website is a reflecting pool of accolades for him. The foundation previously “donated” $4.3mm to Awty International School in Houston in 2011. (He had claimed to be a good governance champion before this, which led to many long-serving Board members being forced out under the guise of needing a smaller more nimble Board with the “deadwood” gone.) Post grant, he changed his mind about not being on the Board, and was easily added, then quickly made vice chair, then within a few months forced the Chair out by offering a small increase in the grant if the Board went along. That departure made him as vice Chair next in line and he then became Chair, all this within a year of the grant. He used the grant as a hammer to get the Board to vote his way, then pretended by publicly abstaining that the decisions were independent. It gets better. Most pf the grant was never funded. Of the part that was, little was spent. The “grant” had many strings and contingencies (including curriculum changes and teacher compensation requirements going through Levant), as well as provisions allowing Levant to force the school to repay the money far into the future if he was unhappy with the way various conditions were followed. So, the school was never able to spend more than a fraction and, determined it would forever have to carry any amount spent as a contingent liability. But, he asked for and got a building named after his foundation that had been funded by others. He had also had himself appointed as chair of the school’s capital campaign; no new money was raised after that day except from 2 prior donors who had Board members who Jamal was allied with.
The grant terms required that it be kept secret, even from most school officials; but when it was leaked and this was all made public, he ultimately resigned as Board Chair and still hasn’t funded the remainder of the $4.3mm.
If all this sounds fanciful, check it out. Why would anyone go to these lengths to control a school? Who knows. Could it be that he valued the prestige of the title and being able to get kids admitted, perhaps to create favors from wealthy Mideast parents who could gratefully add millions to his investment fund? The ultimate business development tool? AUB, beware. He has a track record. Check it out. Even knowing someone continually falsifies their resume should warn you there are more surprises in store. It is SOOO tempting to see huge amount of money and jump at it. In this case, have your lawyers read the fine print very carefully and get lots of input before the terms are finalized and accepted by the AUB Board.