Center for Convergent Technology named after Tim Houlne ’86

July 24, 2024-A new building at Missouri Western State University to serve workforce development needs in the region will bear the name of a Missouri Western alumnus who supported the project with one of the largest donations in the University's history. The building formerly known as the Convergent Technology Alliance Center (CTAC) will be known as the Houlne Center for Convergent Technology, in honor of Tim Houlne, an entrepreneur, author and visionary in the field of artificial intelligence.

"The Houlne Center for Convergent Technology will help Missouri Western prepare the next generation of Tim Houlnes, not only in AI and cybersecurity but in advanced manufacturing and construction," said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, Missouri Western's president. "We are extremely grateful for Tim's support of this project. His philanthropy is an expression of his civic commitment, his fondness for his Missouri Western experience and his unending interest in the development of AI and technology."

Houlne graduated from Missouri Western in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Finance and Management. He is founder and CEO of Humach, a Dallas-based provider of AI technology-driven contact center solutions for hundreds of clients across a variety of industries and regions. Houlne co-authored the Amazon best seller, "The New World of Work," and the second edition, "The Cube, The Cloud, and What's Next."

"I'm excited to be part of this ambitious endeavor because at its very foundation is the understanding that converging technologies have evolved from a discipline or field of work to become intertwined into the very fabric of our lives," Houlne said. "With this Center, Missouri Western State University takes on heightened regional and national importance and prominence, and with it, preparing tomorrow's workers and professionals to flourish and lead in this new technology-first world."

The Houlne Center for Convergent Technology is a partnership with North Central Missouri College to serve workforce development needs in skilled manufacturing, construction and related industries, along with cybersecurity. The $12 million project is expected to open in Fall 2024. Funding has been provided by the State of Missouri, the City of St. Joseph, Buchanan County, and nearly 20 local business, industry, and non-profit partners. Additional support was provided by NCMC and the Missouri Western State University Foundation. Missouri Western is currently equipping the facility for a fall opening.

Houlne committed $3 million to the Center's Project Fund, which will help support the Center's launch and ongoing programs. It's the third largest outright gift in Missouri Western's history.

"Tim Houlne is a thought leader about the future of work and technology, and we're thrilled that he instantly grasped the significance of what we're doing in the Center for Convergent Technology and wanted to be a part of it," said Marc Archambault, vice president of advancement and executive director of the MWSU Foundation. "Tim and many other industry leaders share our vision of a university that is well equipped to meet current and future workforce demands, and we thank them for investing in that vision."

Previously, Missouri Western announced that parts of the building would be named the Gray Manufacturing Workshop Bay, the Altec Manufacturing Technology Bay, the Humach Advanced AI, IT, and Cyber Science Bay and the Triumph Foods and Daily's Premium Meats Industrial Technology Bay in recognition of the support from those companies for the project. All told, 23 businesses or individuals have contributed to the project, including 18 from local industrial firms.

Representatives from industry are also participating in the Center for Convergent Technology Leadership Board to ensure that the training the students receive align with needs in the community.

Missouri Western State University is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit missouriwestern.edu.

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