News Releases

Vickers Lecture to feature Jack DeBoer

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Join us Tuesday, March 24, 2009 for the Annual Vickers Memorial Lecture featuring Jack DeBoer.

Check back to www.business.ku.edu for more information including ticket details.

The Vickers Lecture is named for J.A. Vickers, KU alumnus and founder of Vickers Petroleum Company, and his son, Robert. The lecture series began in 1969 and has brought to KU such distinguished presenters as George H. W. Bush, Yitzhak Rabin, Donald Rumsfeld, Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Kenneth Starr.

Biography of Jack DeBoer:

Jack DeBoer began his career selling real estate during the summers while in high school
in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 1952, he graduated from Michigan State University with a
degree in business.

In 1966, DeBoer began building apartments and, by 1973, his company had built over
16,000 apartments in 30 cities across 25 states. National Real Estate Investor recognized
DeBoer as the "second-largest multi-family developer in the United States."

In 1975, DeBoer, a pioneer in the all-suite hotel concept, designed and built the first Residence Inn all-suite hotel located in downtown Wichita. In 1988, he co-founded Summerfield Hotel Corporation.
In 1995, DeBoer founded Candlewood Hotel Company. After developing 130 hotels the company was purchased by InterContinental Hotels Group in December, 2003. In June, 2002, he founded Value
Place, a short-term apartment concept. He also continues to serve as Chairman of Consolidated Holdings, Inc.

In addition to his numerous successful business ventures, DeBoer is active in several business and civic organizations including: Past-president of the Wichita Area Chamber of Commerce; one of the founders of the Center for Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University; trustee of Innkeepers Real Estate Investment Trust and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Youth For Understanding; former Board Member of the Wesley Medical Endowment Foundation and the
Greater Wichita Community Foundation.

Jack and his wife Marilyn have two grown children and two grandchildren.


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