New England Region of American Associates, Ben-Gurion University Appoints New President and Vice President

The New England Region of American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU) named Max Schechner president and Howard Shrut vice president.

Boston, MA (PRWEB) November 3, 2006 -- The New England Region of American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU) named Max Schechner president and Howard Shrut vice president. Both men live in Newton, Massachusetts.

Max and his wife Marjorie are founders of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU). Max also serves on the board of directors of Temple Reyim in Newton, where he has established an endowed fund providing financial assistance to young adults who wish to travel to Israel. A partner in the firm of Busa & Schechner in Woburn, Massachusetts, Max received his J.D from the New England School of Law and a B.S. from Curry College.

Howard Shrut is also a founder and longtime supporter for more than 35 years and currently serves on AABGU's national board of directors. Recently, he helped support a student dormitory drive to help the University accommodate the tremendous growth of the student population. Howard is president and owner of Shrut & Asch Leather Company, Inc. in Boston. He graduated from Bucknell University with a both a B.S. in chemistry and a B.S in chemical engineering and also attended l'École Française de Tannerie.

"The Schechner and Shrut families have been passionate supporters of BGU since the 1970s beginning with George Shrut, Howard's and Marjorie's father as well as Max's father-in-law," explains Amos Drory, executive vice president of AABGU. "Their longstanding commitment and legacy of financial support will energize the New England area program and fundraising efforts to build a world class research institute at the University."

For information about Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and local programs, contact the New England office at 617-232-2300 or e-mail.

About Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and American Associates
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev is a world-renowned institute of research and higher learning with 17,000 students on its three campuses in Israel's southern desert: Beer-Sheva, Sede Boqer and Eilat. BGU builds bridges of peace between Israel and its neighbors through cooperation in science, research and development. It is the link between academia and industry, Israel and the developing world. BGU is a university with a conscience, where the highest academic standards are integrated with community involvement, and where the pioneering spirit of discovery flourishes, fulfilling the dream of Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, to make the desert bloom. American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU), with its national headquarters in New York City and 10 regional offices throughout the United States, plays a vital role in helping BGU develop the bold new vision for the Negev, the focus of the future of Israel and the world.

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