Local Businessmen Contribute $20,000 to ODU Engineering College

Local businessmen Harold and Larry Clukey recently made a $20,000 contribution to the Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology at Old Dominion University.

The brothers, who have a dental manufacturing business in Virginia Beach, have frequently collaborated with electrical and computer engineering professors Rick McKenzie and Jiang Li, and mechanical engineering department chair Jen-Kuang Huang, on small-business innovative research (SBIR) grant proposals and other funding sources for research.

McKenzie said the gift cements the professional partnership between the Clukey family and the engineering college. "Basically, we have developed a very amicable relationship, and we are happy that they are giving back to the community," McKenzie noted.

Oktay Baysal, dean of the college, will determine how best to distribute the money.