A few weeks back, Cenveo Chairman and CEO Bob Burton made national headlines (including on Yahoo! and ESPN) when he voiced his displeasure with the University of Connecticut’s hiring of a new football coach and threatened to rescind a $3 million donation to the program. He also asked that his name be removed from the Burton Family Football Complex.
There's good news for UConn football. Bob dropped me a note the other day, indicating that both his family and the university have mended their fences. He will continue to back the university and the gridiron program.
Burton—a longtime, major donor and a passionate supporter of Huskies football—was incensed that his family was not consulted during the process that led to the eventual hiring of coach Paul Pasqualoni. Burton wasn't seeking veto power, but noted that his family had been consulted by the university on a number of issues related to the football program. The rift seemed to indicate a disconnect between the Burton family and the UConn athletic department.
The Burton family was visited by UConn Board of Trustees Chairman Larry McHugh and Vice Chairman Tom Ritter on Feb. 9.
“The Burton family has been very generous to the university with its time, energy and resources,” McHugh said in a statement released by UConn. “I felt that it was important to pay a visit to them and have a dialogue. I am very pleased that in a very short period of time he and his family were able to reconnect with UConn, recognizing all the good that UConn does for its students and our state. The UConn community is grateful for all of the contributions the Burton family has made to enhance our academic and athletic programs, and the support they have provided to so many UConn students.”
As for Burton, he chose to look at the big picture when it comes to his family's relationship with the university and its football program.
“...I have been reflecting on it and came to the conclusion that I’m not going to let one experience change the relationship my family and I have with UConn,” Burton said. "We love the university, we’re proud of our association with it, and that is going to continue.”
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