L. Robert Payne considers himself a lucky man. He has a wonderful family, great friends and as president and CEO of Multi-Ventures, Inc., has built a successful career as a San Diego businessman. And this year, his name will grace the front of San Diego State's new alumni center.

Bob, along with his longtime buddies and fellow alumni Leon Parma and Jack Goodall, recognized that the facility would become a touchstone for SDSU's future. In 2007, they donated the naming gift for the building currently under construction.

Driven to give back

Bob has been an important part of some of SDSU’s biggest ventures. He provided the initial $1.1 million gift to launch SDSU’s lauded Hospitality and Tourism Management Program in 1999. Currently, he serves as chair of The Campanile Foundation, a group that advocates for private gifts and stewards their investment, in support of the university.

It's about "payback"

While his support is extraordinary by any measure, Bob views it simply as "payback."

"I recognize that I'm very fortunate, and also that there's an inequity in terms of the degree of success some of us have. Under those circumstances, I think I should give back, and doing so has been very satisfying for me," he reflected.

An on-campus home for alumni

Bob views the new Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center as a place that will encourage payback by providing alumni with an on-campus home.

"I think it's the sort of catalyst that will bring alumni back. Once you return to campus, you have an opportunity to develop a real relationship with the university and other alumni," he said.

Joking that he probably wouldn’t be admitted to SDSU if he were a student applying today, Bob considered the school's evolution since his graduation in 1955. "The university's recent accomplishments are phenomenal," he reflected. "Without question, I am proud to be a graduate of San Diego State."