$500K donation to create Butler scholarship in risk management

INDIANAPOLIS (Inside INdiana Business) — The largest corporate-sponsored endowed scholarship gift in Butler University’s history has been made by Indianapolis-based Gregory & Appel Insurance.

The university says the $500,000 donation will create the Gregory & Appel Endowed Scholarship for Risk Management and Insurance Education at Butler University.

Dan Appel, chief executive officer of Gregory & Appel, and his wife, Kate, said the scholarship is aimed at attracting and retaining new talent for the insurance industry in Indiana.

The gift came on the heels of news the insurance firm made this week that Dan Appel will be retiring as the company’s CEO at the end of 2019 but will serve as non-executive board chair. Andrew Appel will assume the role of CEO in January.

The scholarship will be available to qualifying students at Butler studying risk management, insurance or both.

“We are extremely grateful to Gregory & Appel Insurance and Dan and Kate Appel for their investment in the lives of Butler students through this endowed scholarship gift,” President James Danko said in a statement. “Dan and Kate Appel are great friends to Butler University, and this scholarship is just the latest example of the many ways their influential leadership is making a difference in the Indianapolis community.”