Remembering AUC Trustee Elias Hebeka

Advisory Trustee Elias Hebeka, who served AUC for more than two decades, has passed away. 

Hebeka was first elected to AUC’s Board of Trustees in 1990. He and his wife Barbara supported AUC on several fronts, including establishing an endowed scholarship fund for students beginning in 1986 and naming the Dr. and Mrs. Elias Hebeka Innovation Hub –– the first structure seen by visitors to AUC New Cairo. Hebeka was also chair of the Facilities Committee when AUC decided to buy land for its move to the New Cairo campus. 

“When I first joined the Board, I admired Elias’s keen and perceptive intellect as chair of the Finance Committee and his nuanced understanding of AUC,” said AUC Trustee Paul Bartlett. “My admiration deepened as he helped teach me how the University operated, especially during the challenges of fundraising, construction and transition to the new campus.” 

“When working with others, he always exhibited admirable grace and professionalism, and constantly demonstrated his steadfast devotion to AUC."

Hebeka assumed several leadership roles during his time with the Board of Trustees, including vice chair of the Board, chair of the Investment and Facilities committees in the 1990s, and chair of the Finance Committee in the early 2000s. He was also an active participant in several task forces, such as AUC’s Relocation Committee, the AUC Press Study, and the USAID Asset Allocation Study. Hebeka transitioned to an advisory role in 2008.

“When working with others, he always exhibited admirable grace and professionalism, and constantly demonstrated his steadfast devotion to AUC,” said Bartlett, who described Hebeka as extremely welcoming, very knowledgeable and a huge advocate of AUC.  

Born in 1936, Hebeka grew up in Cairo. He received his BSc from Cairo University and MSc and PhD in microbiology from Rutgers University. Upon graduation, he served as an assistant professor at Cairo University and the American University of Beirut. When he and Barbara returned to Cairo, Barbara taught at AUC’s English Language Institute. In the mid-1960s he returned to the United States, embarking on a a successful corporate career, first at Warner Lambert and later as Revlon’s president for worldwide operations.

Hebeka is survived by his wife, Barbara, and his sons, Mark and Michael, and their families. In addition to his support of AUC, he dedicated himself to the Antiochian Orthodox Church.