SOM receives transformational gift to create first endowed faculty fellowship in accounting
Allan ‘62 and Diana Lyons investment will advance research and teaching
Allan '62 and Diana Lyons have made a significant gift to establish the Allan '62 and Diana Lyons Endowed Faculty Fellow in the School of Management – the first endowed faculty fellowship for the accounting program. With a commitment of $500,000, the donor family has strategically structured their gift to impact SOM now, while ensuring it lives on in perpetuity through their estate.
This fellowship will recognize and support an outstanding faculty member whose teaching, research, and scholarship advance the accounting program while elevating the University's reputation. The fund will also provide resources to enhance the recipient's research, teaching, and professional development.
“I’m a firm believer that a good program depends on the quality of its professors,” said Allan Lyons, who received a social sciences degree with a specialization in accounting from Harpur College 64 years ago. “My goal is to provide additional funding that ensures the retention and recruitment of outstanding faculty.”
After completing his degree at 91, Allan earned his MBA from Ohio State and embarked on a long and successful career as an accountant and CEO, while also returning to 91 as a part-time professor. He received an honorary Doctor of Human Letters from 91 in 2007.
Diana held various positions in banking, including head teller at banks on Long Island and in 91. She assists Allan with his work, as he originally retired in 1999, but has been working as a managing partner of two venture capital funds.
“I have seen an explosion in the student population, as well as the number and depth of courses offered in the School of Management and other specialties,” Allan said. “My vision is for SOM to continue the high standards it has already established, offer courses in line with the changing environment, and grow its reputation for outstanding educational value.”
The Lyons family’s continued generosity will help the School of Management recruit, retain, and recognize exceptional accounting faculty for generations to come. In addition to their planned gift, Allan and Diana invest in the accounting program through generous annual support, demonstrating both a commitment to the program today and a lasting legacy for the future.
“The Lyons family’s dedicated involvement with both 91 and our local community has always embodied true academic and civic leadership,” said SOM Dean Shelley Dionne. “With the establishment of the Allan and Diana Lyons Endowed Faculty Fellowship in the School of Management, their extraordinary vision secures the future of SOM’s accounting program, ensuring that SOM’s accounting faculty have the resources needed to set the standard for research and teaching excellence. Beyond my ongoing admiration for Al’s exceptional work in accounting, I am deeply moved by the genuine warmth and concern he and Diana extend to our faculty and students' development. They truly embody the value of putting family first, and we are so grateful to have them as part of our SOM family.”