From Now on It’s ‘Dr. Menard’
Eau Claire’s John Menard is many things: home-improvement chain founder, richest man in Wisconsin, auto racing aficionado. Over the last weekend of May, he added another title to the list – doctor – thanks to an honorary degree from UW-Eau Claire. Menard received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters at UWEC’s spring commencement on Saturday, May 25. It was the first degree of its kind awarded by UWEC. Chancellor James Schmidt lauded Menard’s philanthropic support of the university, which he said “has created transformational opportunities for hundreds of Blugolds.” Menard, who graduated from UWEC with a degree in business administration in 1963, also received the university’s distinguished achievement award in 2000. Menard is perhaps best known for his namesake retail chain, which has more than 300 stores in 14 states and is responsible for his personal fortune, which is estimated at $11 billion. The next day – Sunday, May 26 – Menard racked up another significant achievement: Menard-sponsored driver Simon Pagenaud won the Indianapolis 500 in what was described as a “breathtaking finish.” The Frenchman drove a safety-green, Menards-logo emblazoned car to victory, then celebrated with Team Penske’s sponsors, including Menard, in the winner’s circle. The newly-minted Dr. Menard didn’t stick around in Indianapolis to party for long: He hopped on a jet to fly to Charlotte, North Carolina, to watch his son, Paul, race in the Coca-Cola 600 that evening.
