Alumni gift names Lehigh’s new arrival court

	The John A. Cable '45 Arrival Court welcomes visitors to Lehigh.

John A. Cable ’45 has given a generous gift of $1 million in support of the newly constructed Arrival Court at Lehigh University’s Alumni Memorial Building. In recognition of his generosity and loyalty to the university, Lehigh will name the area the John A. Cable ’45 Arrival Court.
Cable made the gift as a reflection of his heartfelt connection with the university. “I have a deep admiration for Lehigh, its goals and aspirations,” he says. “I am proud to continue to serve the university as a volunteer and a benefactor.”
His gift will support the construction costs of the new plaza at the Alumni Memorial Building. The area, which opened in Fall 2006, features a circular driveway, garden landscaping, and a striking marble fountain bearing the university seal. The space welcomes prospective students and their parents, along with alumni and other visitors, to campus and serves as a gateway into Lehigh’s scenic campus.
“The John A. Cable ’45 Arrival Court welcomes prospective students and visitors to our beautiful campus with grace and style,” says President Alice P. Gast. “The space makes a tremendous first impression on those coming to campus, and will help us attract the most promising young men and women to the university. All of us who work at Lehigh appreciate the inviting new entrance to campus.”
The Arrival Court replaced an awkward parking lot, where spaces were often hard to come by. “From our point of view, the arrival court is simply fabulous,” says Bruce Gardiner, Interim Dean of Admissions. “Our visitors are coming to us in a much better frame of mind, impressed with the welcoming campus entrance and convenient parking. We will never know how many families in the past never did find a place to park and just proceeded to visit another school.”
A generous benefactor
John A. Cable, member of the Class of 1945, graduated with a degree in industrial engineering. While at Lehigh, he was a member of the Chi Psi fraternity, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the men’s soccer team.
After graduation, he had a long career with Spartek and the U.S. Ceramic Tile Company, serving as chairman and chief executive officer of Spartek, and also president and chairman of U.S. Ceramic Tile before retirement. He is now retired chairman of the board of the Newell Porcelain Company. During his career, he devoted his energies to redevelop and modernize older manufacturing processes to bring about a resumption of profitable operations.
Cable has long been a generous benefactor of the university as a member of both the Tower Society and Asa Packer Society. He and his mother established the Davis A. Cable Endowment Fund in memory of his father in 2002 to enhance the development of leadership qualities in Lehigh’s student-athletes. He also named a reading room in the physics building in memory of his father, and supported Lehigh soccer and athletics programs, as well as Chi Psi, on a regular basis.
As a volunteer, Cable has been active with the Lehigh University Alumni Association. He served as vice president of his regional board, class vice president, a member of the National Leadership Committee, and Planned Giving Class Chairman. In 1995, he was a member of his 50th Reunion Committee.
Cable and his wife, Janet, reside in Richmond, Virginia.
Cable’s gift is part of Shine Forever:The Campaign for Lehigh. With the help of its dedicated alumni and friends, Lehigh will reach its goal of $500 million within the next five years.
--Bette Phelan
Posted on Wednesday, December 06, 2006