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In 1976, a young Don Hoffman — who had earned a business degree from Biola only six years earlier — felt called to do something that would bless Biolans for generations to come.
As a new professional working as comptroller in Biola’s accounting department from 1970 to 1975, Hoffman noticed that professors had many opportunities to be recognized for their achievements. But the work of exceptional non-faculty employees often flew under the radar. Together with his wife, Susan, Hoffman decided to change that — by establishing a trust fund that would produce an annual financial award to honor the most outstanding Biola staff members. Each year since then, for nearly 50 years, the Hoffman Award has been handed out to top performing staff, almost always with Hoffman in attendance. Since 1976, nearly 200 employees have been honored with the award.
Hoffman passed away on Oct. 1, 2021, but his legacy continues on — both through the award that continues to be given out annually and in a recently remodeled space that now bears his and Susan’s names. In May 2023, university leaders celebrated the dedication of the Hoffman Conference Room, a redesigned space in the president’s wing of Metzger Hall.
Hoffman’s professional and spiritual influence extends far beyond Biola. Following his departure from the university in 1975, his journey led him to a decade-long tenure with International Paper Company in Northern California, Oregon, and Texas. Later, he joined the ownership group of Hudson Building Company in Chicago. In 1988, he moved to Mosier, Oregon, where he founded The CREST Company, a highly regarded consulting firm.
Along the way, he contributed his expertise to organizations such as SEND International of Alaska, the American Red Cross — serving on both local and national boards — and the Wasco County Planning Commission. He also dedicated 18 years as board chair of Horizon Christian School in Hood River, Oregon, a role he held dear.
Known for his joyful and authentic character, Hoffman often quoted his favorite saying, which is now preserved on a plaque in the conference room that bears his name: “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.”
