Marcus Lemonis, the chairman and chief executive officer of Bowling Green, Ky.-based Camping World and the star of the CNBC show “The Profit,” says he will donate up to $300,000 to Marquette University as part of a $1 million university giving challenge that will begin on Jan 5 and run through March 12.
Lemonis is a 1995 Marquette University alumnus of the Helen Way Klingler College of Arts and Sciences.
“Many people have graduated from Marquette and their experiences attending the university have been a real blessing in their lives,” Lemonis said. “I believe in philanthropy that is affordable and meaningful, and it is important that even more members of our alumni community are engaged with the university that gave a lot to them.”
Lemonis will donate $100,000 for every $250,000 the university raises, with a personal cap of $300,000. There is no minimum donation for individuals who contribute as part of the $1 million challenge. The maximum donation for individuals is $5,000.
Camping World claims to be the nation’s largest RV and outdoor retailer. Camping World has nearly 3,600 employees and serves over 4 million RV enthusiasts with over 100 retail locations and revenues exceeding $1.7 billion annually, according to the company’s web site.
On the CNBC show “The Profit,” Lemonis assists struggling businesses around the country from a variety of industries.
“It is incredibly inspiring when a Marquette alumnus goes on to achieve such high levels of success, but it is even more meaningful when they give back to future generations,” MU president Michael R. Lovell said. “We are energized by the passion and vision brought forth by Marcus, and we are looking forward to this challenge.”
