Beverly, MA – At Endicott’s Alumni Weekend in June, the College was pleased and proud to announce the naming of the Center for the Arts in honor of Walter J. Manninen.  The Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts opened its doors in January 2009 and since that time has welcomed thousands of visitors each year for theatre, music, art exhibits, gallery talks and a variety of events and programs.

Photo: (left to right) David Vigneron, Vice President of Institutional Advancement; Mark Towner, Dean of the School of Visual and Performing Arts;  Walter J. Manninen; Dr. Richard E. Wylie, President of Endicott

In making the announcement, President Richard E. Wylie thanked Mr. Manninen for his generous commitment to Endicott College.  "Walter has donated his renowned art collection to the College consisting of more than 200 works by important American artists with connections to Cape Ann and Massachusetts including many pieces by acclaimed artist, Theresa Bernstein. His deferred gift, including the art collection, is valued in the millions of dollars. To honor Walter's vision, his generosity, and his passion for the arts, Endicott is both pleased and proud to name the College’s new art center the Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts and endow a chair in the Fine Arts in his name."

Dr. Wylie went on to say, "The collection, the first in the history of the College, elevates our increased desire to be a major source of art on the North Shore and to be a resource to the community and region.  Mr. Manninen's generosity demonstrates his commitment to education and the arts."

An accomplished entrepreneur, Walter J. Manninen first served as chief financial officer and then as president and chief executive officer of CXO Media, Inc., a company that published magazines for senior managers in the fields of marketing, technology, and security.  He also has ten years of experience in banking as a treasurer and loan officer.

Mr. Manninen's outstanding achievement in business was noted in 2004, when he was nominated for an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.  He is also the recipient of the IDG Chairman's Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership.  He joined the staff of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center's Northeast Regional Office in 2005.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Salem State College and a Master of Business Administration at Suffolk University.  Mr. Manninen lives in Rockport, MA, where he served as a treasurer of the Rockport Art Association.  He remains an active contributing member for their major exhibits.

The Walter J. Manninen Center for the Arts is a 62,000 square foot building that supports a variety of arts studies and performance venues with facilities that include:  a 250-seat recital hall with professional quality acoustics; a 100-seat black box theatre for drama, dance, technical theatre workshops and performances; a museum quality art galleries for visiting art exhibits, gallery talks and community shows; a student art gallery; separate painting, photography, printmaking, ceramics, and woodshop studios; MacIntosh computer labs for graphic design and visual communications; music and drama practice and rehearsal rooms; a shooting studio for photography; and offices and student and faculty lounges with facilities for public receptions.