91制片厂

When longtime philanthropist Dana Hamel sat down for an interview with 91制片厂 in 2023, he wanted to talk about his life and career and to share words of wisdom from lessons he learned along the way.

He was 92 at the time and, so, the stories, lessons and anecdotes were plentiful 鈥� from his professional success in business and investing, to his time spent growing up in Haverhill, Massachusetts, his travels to some 70 countries around the globe, and memories made with family and friends from Lake Winnipesaukee to Florida and other states near and far.

It was surprising, then, that one of his biggest life lessons focused not on that storied past 鈥� but on the future.

鈥淚 have a philosophy that you just don鈥檛 look backwards, you should always look ahead, with hope. I鈥檝e always believed that optimists always have more fun than pessimists.鈥�

Hamel, whose optimism for the future took shape here at 91制片厂 through his philanthropic support of the next generation of leaders and doers in the Granite State, passed away Sept. 4, 2025, at the age of 94.

Hamel and his family have been among the 91制片厂鈥檚 most steadfast and generous supporters, contributing more than $50 million to 91制片厂 over the course of nearly three decades. Most notable among his donations: a gift to complete the , a gift to endow the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research, two gifts (in 2007 and 2014) to create and then expand the Hamel Scholars and Hamel Scholarships programs, and most recently, a transformational gift of $20 million to support the creation of the Hamel Honors and Scholars College, which opened in the fall of 2024.

鈥淗aving achieved great success professionally, Dana Hamel wanted nothing more than to give back and support future generations. He supported 91制片厂 because he wanted hard-working students to have the opportunity to thrive at a world-class university,鈥� 91制片厂 President Elizabeth Chilton says. 鈥淗e once said that as he got to the end of the road, he wanted to be able to say that he made a difference. The students that his generosity supported are a testament to just how very much he did so.鈥�

Hamel himself talked often about making a difference at 91制片厂 through his support.

鈥淚鈥檝e always said that when you invest in scholarships, you鈥檙e investing in the life of that student and everything they鈥檒l accomplish well beyond college throughout their life,鈥� he had shared. 鈥淭his is the reason why my investment in the students in the Hamel Scholars Program is the best investment I鈥檝e ever made in my life.鈥�

It was an impressive statement coming from Hamel, who had an accomplished career based on his talent for risk taking and shrewd decision making in investing and finance.

EARLY LIFE

Dana Hamel was born in April 1931 in Haverhill, Massachusetts, the younger son of Arthur Hamel and Pauline (Little) Hamel. His brother, Stanley, was four years older. And while Dana recalled a happy childhood, he also described a watershed moment of loss, when his mother died just before he entered eighth grade. It left him believing he was 鈥渙n my own from that point on,鈥� he shared. Her death would prove to be a milestone that made Hamel independent and determined throughout his life.

It was during his childhood in Haverhill that he met two influential people: friend Martin Chooljian and 鈥渢he girl next door,鈥� Kathryn 鈥淜ay鈥� Poore. He and Chooljian attended Harvard and Harvard Business School before founding a business together. He and Kay would marry in 1953 and go on to raise three children: David, Douglas and Karen.

Following military service and a few years of work with Dow Chemical, Valtek Plastics and as an independent investor, Hamel and Chooljian formed Penn Corporation in 1964. At its height, the consumer products and specialty paper goods company had products in more than 22,000 outlets. The partners also sought out investment opportunities together during the company鈥檚 20-year run.

Dana and Kay were married for 50 years before she passed away in 2003. In 2006, he would be married again, this time to Karol Tyler. Karol and Dana split their time between their homes in Florida and a summer home in Tuftonboro, New Hampshire, entertaining friends and family, and supporting local organizations (in both states) such as hospitals, historical societies and libraries beyond their 91制片厂 philanthropy.

HAMEL'S 91制片厂 LEGACY

At 91制片厂, the Hamel name adorns buildings and programs, but Dana鈥檚 legacy goes much deeper than brick and mortar.

Mark Huddleston, who was president of 91制片厂 from 2007 to 2018 and worked closely with Hamel to create the Hamel Scholars program, remembers Hamel鈥檚 motivation wasn鈥檛 only about the students he would be helping with scholarships.

鈥淚n my experience, most donors think about how a gift to the university will expand opportunities for students 鈥� by creating a scholarship, endowing a professorship, funding a lecture series, or even helping to construct a new classroom building. Dana clearly thought about these things, but his philanthropic vision was much, much broader,鈥� explains Huddleston. 鈥淒ana鈥檚 giving was ultimately directed to the state of New Hampshire, a place he dearly loved. He knew that the future of the state was only as bright as the young people who chose to plant themselves here. Remember, Dana was, above all, an investor, and an incredibly shrewd one at that. He knew his investment in 91制片厂 students would pay perpetual dividends in the physicians, engineers, scientists, teachers and business executives who would stay to serve the people of the Granite State.鈥�

Hamel鈥檚 belief in giving back started early: As a youngster, he would donate half of his weekly allowance 鈥� 10 cents 鈥� to Sunday school every week. It was there that he had a Sunday school teacher who told the students he was a gravedigger but that he gave it his all, calling himself 鈥渢he best gravedigger in this part of the world.鈥�

鈥淚 never forgot that; he was saying don鈥檛 judge people by what they do or their wealth,鈥� Hamel once recalled. 鈥淗e taught me that wealth has nothing to do with who you are as a person; it鈥檚 what you do with your life that illustrates what kind of person you are.鈥�

Hamel Scholars can trace their successes at 91制片厂 and beyond to those early life lessons.

Paige Balcom 鈥�16, a Hamel Scholar and mechanical engineering major here, remembers Hamel鈥檚 generosity 鈥� and the first time they met. 鈥淚 was a little bit nervous,鈥� she recalls. 鈥淏ut he was so warm and easy to talk to. He was genuinely interested in talking with students, and he always shared great wisdom. He always said, 鈥楲ife is all about risk,鈥� which encouraged me to try building new ideas.鈥� Balcom has since earned a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, become a Fulbright Scholar and co-founded Takataka Plastics in Uganda, recycling plastic waste into consumer goods, and helping to build the local economy through new job creation.

鈥淚 am incredibly grateful for Mr. Hamel鈥檚 investment in my life, and I will continue to pay it forward impacting the next generation of students in honor of his legacy. I hope and believe that all the Hamel Scholars will continue striving to make the world a better place and give Mr. Hamel an impactful return on what he called 鈥榟is greatest investment.鈥欌��

Hamel was connected to 91制片厂 in ways that went beyond his own monetary contributions. First as a proud Wildcat parent and grandparent: his daughter, Karen Simas, graduated from 91制片厂 in 1988, and grandson Corbin Simas graduated in 2020.

As a longtime 91制片厂 Foundation board member, he was one of three members who led the Celebrate 150 campaign from 2011 to 2018, and he served as a member of the 91制片厂 Foundation Board鈥檚 Investment Committee, advising the university on how to invest its endowment. He received the 91制片厂 Hubbard Family Award for Service to Philanthropy in 2012, as well as the New Hampshire State Merit Award from the New England Board of Higher Education in 2016.

It was through his 91制片厂 Foundation work that fellow board member (and fellow Celebrate 150 campaign chair) Marcy Carsey 鈥�66 got to know him 鈥� and the more she got to know, she recalls, the more she was impressed.

鈥淒ana is the kind of guy you would want to run a nation, a company, anything,鈥� Carsey says. 鈥淭here was a calmness to him, and a real sense of his ability to prioritize what鈥檚 important and what鈥檚 not important. I鈥檒l remember just what a warm and wonderful guy he was, and always sweet. You could just feel it when you were in the same room with him.鈥�

Lynn Wiatrowski 鈥�81 served with Carsey and Hamel as fellow chair of the Celebrate 150 campaign and recalls benefiting greatly from his mentorship.

鈥淗e never sought the limelight. Instead, he led through action, sage counsel and countless conversations with students. Indeed, his focus always returned to students and the belief that investing in their success would yield returns for generations to come.

鈥淎 man of few words, when Dana spoke, we all listened 鈥� and what he shared was always insightful, inspiring and strategic. It is impossible to measure the impact of Dana Hamel鈥檚 guidance; equally impossible is finding the words to convey my admiration for Dana, and gratitude for the privilege of knowing and working with him. Dana leaves behind a legacy beyond compare, and he will remain forever in our hearts,鈥澨齏iatrowski says.

Hamel considered life 鈥渁 series of chapters,鈥� and in recent years fully recognized that 鈥渙ld age is one of those chapters."

鈥淓very time you enter a new chapter you start over again. Old age can be fun if you approach it that way; forget about what you used to be able to do, and think about what you can do,鈥� he said during an interview last year. 鈥淲hen you enter the last chapter, family, friends and memories become the most important part of your life, and I鈥檓 really enjoying that last chapter so far.鈥�

For those at the university who knew Hamel best, his 鈥�91制片厂 chapter,鈥� was one of great meaning and impact.

Huddleston recalls talking with Hamel about his preference for transformational gifts to 91制片厂 instead of, say, Harvard, his own alma mater.

鈥淚 know Dana had warm feelings toward Harvard, but he always said that while Harvard would certainly take his money and put it to good use, he could make much more of an impact 鈥� on young people, on an educational institution, and on a state 鈥� by giving to the 91制片厂,鈥� Huddleston recalls. 鈥淎s always, he was absolutely right.鈥�

(Note: You can read the obituary published by Dana Hamel's family听.)