Former Chairman of Florida Tech Board of Trustees Allen S. Henry Passes Away At 78

By  //  March 22, 2019

responsible for $3.8 million in gifts to the university

Allen S. Henry, a long-serving member and past chairman of the Florida Tech Board of Trustees who strengthened the university with his guidance and his largesse, passed away Tuesday. He was 78.

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Allen S. Henry, a long-serving member and past chairman of the Florida Tech Board of Trustees who strengthened the university with his guidance and his largesse, passed away Tuesday. He was 78.

Henry was named to the university’s board in 2000 and served until 2015. He was chairman from 2003 to 2007.

In addition to his vision from the board room, Henry was responsible for $3.8 million in gifts to the university, including $1.25 million to create the Allen S. Henry Professor of Engineering and a $500,000 gift for undergraduate scholarships during the Golden Anniversary Campaign in 2007.

His endowed professorship brought National Academy of Engineering member Martin Glicksman to campus in 2011. Glicksman would go on to serve as dean of the College of Engineering.

Henry said he funded scholarships because he knew how important they could be.

“My higher education was largely self-supported,” he told the university in 2011. “Scholarships and student loans were a big part of that. I also worked a lot. Scholarships were especially important to me as an undergraduate.”

A building on Florida Tech’s south campus is named in Henry’s honor.

“Al understood both the transformative power of education and how a helping hand could be truly life-changing,” said Florida Tech President Dwayne McCay. “He brought passion and vision to our board and helped push Florida Tech – and our students – to even greater heights.”

“Al understood both the transformative power of education and how a helping hand could be truly life-changing,” said Florida Tech President Dwayne McCay. “He brought passion and vision to our board and helped push Florida Tech – and our students – to even greater heights.” (Florida Tech image)

A resident of Indialantic, Henry was a retired vice-president and general manager of JDS Uniphase Broadband Products, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of JDS Uniphase Corporation.

He previously served as chairman and CEO of Broadband Communications Products Inc., which developed fiber optic components for the fiber optics communications market. Henry also worked for 23 years at Harris Corporation, retiring in 1996 as president of the Electronic Systems Sector.

Henry earned a doctorate in engineering from the University of Iowa. He is a former chairman of the Holmes Regional Medical Center Board of Directors and served as a major contributor and fundraiser for the Women’s Center in Melbourne.

Henry was preceded in death by his first wife, Eleanor. He is survived by his wife Sandra, son David, daughter Aimee, and three grandchildren.

A public memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Gleason Performing Arts Center on the Florida Tech campus in Melbourne, 150 W. University Blvd.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Women’s Center, Family Promise or a charity of the donor’s choosing.

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