Archie Givens

Alumni Association, October 20, 2011

Archie Givens is the CEO and director of Legacy Management & Development Corporation and the managing partner of Rainbow Development Corporation, which develops over 1,100 affordable housing. He received a bachelor of arts degree in history and humanities in the College of Liberal Arts (1966) and a master of health administration in hospital and healthcare administration, earning a license in Nursing Home Administration (1968) in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. He has been an active volunteer for the University of Minnesota Alumni Association (UMAA) for nine years. He joined the board of directors as an at-large representative in 2002, served as an officer for several years, and was the national president in 2009-2010. Currently, he is the UMAA's immediate past president. He also serves on the University Senate Advisory Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics. In the early 1960's, he played football for the Golden Gophers, so serving as the chief Alumni Associations volunteer when the TCF Bank Stadium opened, was perfect. Other initiatives he led include membership campaigns and the restructuring of the Alumni Association's volunteer awards program. He also provided leadership and counsel on outreach programs such as the Mentor Connection and collegiate alumni society and geographic chapter activities. As national president, he presided over the Association's 2010 Annual Celebration featuring news anchor Katie Couric as keynote speaker. In addition, he is the president of the Givens Foundation for African American Literature (the Archie Givens, Sr. Collection of African literature is part of the University of Minnesota's Special Collections and Rare Books Department in the Elmer L. Andersen Library).