A large crowd gathered inside the Rowan University's Pfleeger Concert Hall to honor the man whose generosity helped transform Rowan University.
GLASSBORO -- Behind a podium on stage, speaking in front of a nearly packed house, she looked up to the ceiling and hollered, "You're not alone Hank!"
The crowd laughed as State Sen. Diane Allen (R-Essex County) continued on about her old friend, noting the many friends and admirers who came out to Rowan University on Thursday afternoon to celebrate the life of the late Henry M. Rowan -- industrialist, multimillionaire, and Rowan University benefactor, who died last month at the age of 92.
"I've never met anyone like him and I don't think I'll meet someone else like him," Allen said. "He was a man of great character."
The crowd gathered inside the university's Pfleeger Concert Hall in honor of the man whose gift in 1992 of $100 million helped transform Rowan University from a small teacher's college into one of the top schools in the mid-Atlantic region and one of the best engineering schools in the country.
The endowment to then Glassboro State College was the largest pledge ever made to a public university at the time and prompted tremendous growth of what eventually became Rowan University. The school was eventually renamed in his honor.
His family donated another $15 million endowment to the school's college of engineering in 2014.
"I remember he was not really impressed with what he had done; he was not seeking the spotlight," Allen said. "He was simply seeking to do the right thing, and doing it quietly. He believed in rugged self-reliance, he understood how important it was to follow your moral compass, and do the right thing."
There was a musical tribute by the Rowan University Concert Choir and Orchestra as well as a video tribute dedicated to Henry Rowan.
Rowan President Dr. Ali Houshmand spoke in front of the crowd and said Henry Rowan's gift prompted more donors to give contributions "and more elected officials to notice."
"As you mourn this loss, I hope you take comfort knowing that will always be reflected," Houshmand said.
Henry Rowan -- the founder and chairman of the Westampton-based metals and materials manufacturer, Inductotherm Group -- spent his career working in metals.
Linda M. Rohrer, chair of the Rowan University Board of Trustees, and Rowan's daughter, Virginia Rowan Smith, chair of Inductotherm Corp. and vice president of the Inductotherm Group, both spoke and thanked everyone in attendance for the tremendous support and admiration of Rowan.
"He took a risk," Rohrer said, "and since then everyone has benefited."
"Thank you all for you kind words, your warm recollection," Smith said.
Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.