Ohio State University has announced a $17 million gift from the Keenan Family Foundation to establish an entrepreneurship center at its Max M. Fisher College of Business.

The Tim and Kathleen Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship will focus on cultivating the  entrepreneurial skill sets of students and creating an enriched extracurricular experience around entrepreneurship, connecting students to the startup ecosystem in metro Columbus and beyond.

Tim Keenan, CEO of Keenan & Associates, a consulting firm that provides strategic planning direction and guidance to small and midsize organizations, serves as vice president and treasurer of the Keenan Family Foundation. He is, in addition, a longtime member of the business school's Dean's Advisory Council, served as an adviser to the Ohio State Office of Research on its efforts to advance the Ohio Technology Consortium, and is a life member of the Ohio State University Alumni Association.

"The Tim and Kathleen Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship is a remarkable resource for our students as well as Ohio's rapidly growing start-up ecosystem," said OSU president Michael V. Drake. "Their inspiring gift honors Buckeye Nation's proud entrepreneurial legacy, while laying the educational foundation for tomorrow's business leaders. I am truly grateful to Tim and Kathleen for their longstanding service and generosity to Ohio State."