Photo credit:  Janet Rogers, Division of Strategic Marketing and Communications

Sculpture and Bloch Executive Hall celebrated

The sculpture – like the man – looms larger than life.

Today, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the Kansas City community got to view the Henry W. and Marion Bloch sculpture, as part of the Bloch Executive Hall grand opening celebration.

The grand opening was held in conjunction with the back to school barbecue, attended by more than 500 students, faculty, staff and community members. The program included special guests University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe, Bloch School Dean Teng Kee Tan and Mr. Henry W. Bloch, the long-time Bloch benefactor.

“I’m so glad that both Teng Kee and I could be here today to share this accomplishment with you all,” said Henry Bloch. “The building was needed for the impressive vision that Dean Tan had for the school and to accommodate student growth. I believe Dean Teng Kee Tan led the best business school in the world in entrepreneurship.”

Eugene Daub, a nationally celebrated sculptor, created the 8-ft., larger-than-life sculpture of the Blochs. With the aid of numerous photographs of the couple, he captured the couple in their 60s as they were seen by their children – “always touching each other.”

Daub and his partner, Dr. Rob Firmin, were celebrated earlier this year for the commemorative Rosa Parks sculpture they created for the U.S. Capitol. Daub also has two other pieces in Kansas City – the Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery statues in downtown Kansas City.

The new $32 million, 68,000-square foot Bloch Executive Hall – sitting adjacent to the Henry W. Bloch School of Management – opened for classes on Aug. 19. The building houses the Bloch School’s graduate, executive and entrepreneurship programs, as well as undergraduate classes.