John Clendenin, an Atlanta businessman who Kennesaw State’s Ann and John Clendenin Computer Science and Mathematics Building was named after, died Tuesday, Feb. 25, from an extended illness.
“The family wishes to express their deepest appreciation to Deborah Johnson and the team of caregivers who lovingly cared for their Dad and Papaw for the past six years,” the obituary said.
The Clendenin building was named after John Clendenin and his wife Ann Clendenin in 1999 after the couple donated $1 million to KSU to build high tech classrooms within the College of Science and Mathematics, according to KSU News.
John Clendenin was an advocate for education at KSU. In 2001, he received an honorary doctorate from the university, according to CSM’s website.
The 37,000 square-foot Ann and John Clendenin Building opened in 2002.
John Clendenin donated to KSU again in 2008 when he gave $1 million to endow fellowships for graduate students and Ph.D. candidates. At the time, it was the largest single donation ever given for scholarships to the university.
With this donation, John Clendenin established the Clendenin Fellows Program. Through this program, seven graduate and doctoral students are annually supported with scholarships that can total to $15,000.
“Master’s−level fellowships are available for up to two years‚ while doctoral candidates may receive the fellowships for up to three years,” according to a KSU News release from 2008. “The fellowship is open to master’s and doctoral candidates pursuing degrees in any field … Potential fellows may be invited to teach at KSU for two years upon completion of their master’s or doctoral programs.”
Through the program, any undergraduate student from any university could become a fellow.
Prior to his retirement in 1996, John Clendenin worked in the telephone industry.
He initially worked for Illinois Bell Telephone Company then moved to the Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Company in Seattle. From Seattle, John Clendenin moved to New Jersey to work for AT&T and then to Atlanta to be president of Southern Bell Telephone Company, according to his obituary. In 1984, John Clendenin was promoted to president and CEO of BellSouth Corporation in Atlanta.
John Clendenin served on numerous corporate boards as a businessman for corporations like Home Depot, the Kroger Company, Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., Equifax, Powerwave Technologies and Acuity Brands.
John Clendenin acted as chairman of the United States Chamber of Commerce and the National Alliance of Business, as well as being National Chairman of Junior Achievement.
Additionally, he was part of the Board of Governors of the American Red Cross, the National Board of Directors for the non-profit organization United Way and president of the Atlanta Council of Boy Scouts, according to the AJC.
Before entering the telephone industry, John Clendenin was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command.
John Clendenin was a widower — with his wife Ann Clendenin dying in 2009, according to Ann Clendenin’s obituary.
