$10M over 13 months from King Firoz and Diane Husein adds to support of character development in engineering students
In December 2020, King Firoz and Diane Husein donated $4 million to the BYU Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering. The Huseins' donations, totaling $10M over a 13-month period, will be used to help fund a variety of BYU Engineering experiences that encourage students to cultivate strong moral character and foundations rooted in ethics and integrity.
“It is impossible to quantify the impact of the Huseins’ contributions of time and resources to BYU and the Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering,” says BYU Engineering dean Michael Jensen. “Their generosity, integrity, and concern for others make them first-class examples of what it means to live in alignment with BYU’s core values.”
Left to right: Michael Jensen, dean, BYU Engineering; King Firoz Husein; Kevin Worthen, president, Brigham Young University
Photo by Jaren Wilkey
Diane and King have established a long legacy of giving back to BYU by mentoring students, donating to and coordinating important campus initiatives, and serving on the President’s Leadership Council. The Huseins have also funded the King and Diane Husein Endowed Professorship in Civil & Environmental Engineering since 2002.
King Husein is the CEO of SPAN Construction & Engineering, the country’s largest steel building construction company. The company holds the notable distinction as sole builder for all Costco stores worldwide (accounting for more than half of the company's business). SPAN, under King's direction and in coordination with Jacobsen Construction, helped build BYU’s Engineering Building and Engineering Research Laboratory. King also helped coordinate a joint venture between Okland Construction and SPAN to build BYU’s athletic complex (including the student athlete building and indoor practice facility) and Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center. Additionally, SPAN was the design-build general contractor for the recent upgrades to LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Diane & King Husein
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Diane and King Husein (left) sit front row at the dedication ceremony for the BYU Engineering Building and Engineering Research Laboratory on Dec. 4, 2018.
King Husein (left) poses with Kevin Worthen, president of BYU, and President Worthen's wife, Peggy. President Worthen asked Husein to head up fundraising for the new Engineering Building and Engineering Research Laboratory. Through his efforts, $85 million was raised through more than 17,000 donations and the buildings were completed in fall of 2018.
Jaren Wilkey/BYU
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The Huseins were honored at a BYU football game and led the annual "Light the Y" ceremony during homecoming week festivities in 2002.
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King and Diane in front of the Student Athlete Building during construction in 2003. King helped coordinate a joint venture between Okland Construction and SPAN to build BYU’s Student Athlete Building and indoor practice facility.
King Husein addresses guests at the Engineering Building groundbreaking ceremony on BYU campus in 2016.
Jaren Wilkey/BYU
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The Huseins’ support of character development in engineering students isn’t surprising to those familiar with King’s personal business practices (including, most famously, not working on Sundays). SPAN’s business model reflects the integrity the Huseins want instilled in BYU Engineering students: “Keep our commitments – at all cost.”
Last year the Huseins donated $40,000 in spendable funds to support the BYU Engineering IMMERSE ethics training program. IMMERSE is a mentored undergraduate research program in the College of Engineering designed to foster real-world engineering leadership skills. Learn more about the IMMERSE donation and initiatives here.
Diane is the vice president of Legacy Freedom Management, LLC. She is from Star Valley, Wyoming. King met Diane at BYU while he was working on his Master’s in Structural Engineering (‘71). Prior to moving to Utah, King completed his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from University of Bombay in India. Diane and King are the parents of four children.