16th Annual Glanton Scholarship Event presented by Banker's Trust

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The Meadows Event & Conference Center
Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino

5:00-6:30 p.m. – VIP Event
5:30-6:30 p.m. – Cocktail Reception
6:30 p.m. – Dinner

Purple & Proud: the Campaign for Des Moines University

Supporting Diversity in Health Care

On December 8, 2018, Des Moines University launched Purple & Proud: the Campaign for Des Moines University. This $25 million fundraising effort, the largest in DMU’s history, will enable DMU to have a powerful impact on health and health education. One of the key priorities for the campaign is to continue to grow the mission of the Glanton Fund by providing critically needed funding for minority students under-represented in health care and supporting other efforts that enrich and enhance the cultural competency of all DMU students.

Join us again as part of our dedicated group of Glanton donors. Help us continue to be Purple & Proud, fueling the positive ripple effect you and other Glanton supporters have multiplied throughout the years. You will change the world by changing the lives of our students and the patients they'll go on to serve.

Learn More About the W. Stevenson and Luther T. Glanton Fund

Meet the 2019 Glanton Honoree

Shahbaz Ahmed Merchant

One of Shahbaz Ahmed Merchant’s goals is to open doors for others through education. Among his many civic roles, he has served as president of the board of directors of the Miami-Dade Community College Alumni Foundation; as a member of the board of William Rainey Harper College Foundation in Chicago; and as a member of an advisory council of Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. He currently is a member of the Des Moines University Board of Trustees and the Des Moines Area Community College Board Foundation.

A Glanton Fund contributor for many years, Mr. Merchant has more than 30 years’ experience in business management, marketing and service operations. He is the chairman and CEO of Merchant Investment Trust, which operates Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches and Java Lava Coffee Inc. Previously, he was president and CEO of Jimmy John’s Inc., in which he was responsible for the company’s day-to-day operations and expansions.

A business graduate of Barry University in Miami, Florida, Mr. Merchant has received the National Business Council Leadership Award from Congress and the Passport to Prosperity Award from the Iowa International Center.

Presenting Sponsor

A message from our Presenting Sponsor, Bankers Trust:

“Inclusion and commitment to the communities we serve have been among our core values since we were founded in 1917. We also know our outstanding and diverse employees who are dedicated to customer service set us apart,” says Don Coffin, the company’s president and CEO. “Those qualities align well with DMU and the Glanton Fund, which benefit our increasingly diverse society and seek to build highly skilled health care teams committed to compassionate patient care. We’re proud to invest in those goals as this year’s presenting sponsor.”