RICHARD DEBS

DEBS--Richard A. The American University of Beirut (AUB) board of trustees, leadership and university community mourn the loss of a leader who influenced the life and growth of the university for nearly 50 years. Proud of his Lebanese heritage, Debs was a relentless advocate for AUB. A trustee since 1976, he chaired AUB's board from 1994 - 2005, establishing and raising the university endowment, steering AUB through critical years of rebuilding, and continuously raising its academic standards following Lebanon's civil war. In 2003, he was the driving force behind the establishment of AUB's Debs Center in midtown Manhattan. Dr. Debs was awarded AUB's highest honors, the University medal and a Doctor of Humane Letters in 2005. A leader in the financial industry and a noted philanthropist, Dr. Debs was also a lawyer, public servant, advisor to governments and facilitator of international dialog, a patron of the arts, a student of Islamic law, and a good friend we will miss deeply. Philip S. Khoury, Board Chairman; Fadlo R. Khuri, President