The Lasting Gift of Education

Honoring his parents, alumnus Chuck Muth ’77 creates a legacy for students

When Chuck Muth ’77 reflects on his childhood growing up in Paterson, New Jersey, he remembers the emphasis his parents placed on the power of higher education to shape his life.

This theme was reinforced throughout his life and career, and Muth is passionate about carrying it forward to create opportunities for students to succeed through education. Together with his wife, Laura, he established the Madeline and Charles B. Muth Endowed Scholarship Fund to benefit students from Paterson who are pursuing business degrees at the Feliciano School of Business.

“This fund honors my parents, Madeline and Charles B. Muth, who were instrumental in supporting the educational and career success of my brothers and myself,” says Muth. “I always knew how important it was to earn a degree and appreciate all the opportunities my parents and Montclair State have given me.”

The endowed scholarship will support two incoming full-time undergraduate students majoring in Business. “I want to give students who live in Paterson the opportunity to achieve their aspirations and excel at Montclair State,” he shares.

Muth graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing and Management and earned an MBA in Finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He serves on the Feliciano School of Business Advisory Board, and his long-standing support has benefited students and the community. The Muth’s generosity to the School in creating excellence for students was recognized in 2016 through the naming of the Laura and Charles Muth Classroom in the Feliciano School of Business.

To celebrate the latest act of support through the creation of the endowed scholarship, the Muth family gathered at the School and toured campus to witness the impressive growth of the University.

Senior Kayla Romero ’22 shared with the Muth family how scholarship support has changed her life. “I grew up in Newark for most of my life…I am so appreciative of the amazing opportunities that this University has provided me. We have access to a fantastic education that opens doors to many opportunities, and I am extremely proud to call myself a Red Hawk. None of this would be possible for me and so many other students without scholarship funding.”

Romero is majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Retail Merchandising and Management. She is a Presidential Scholar and has been a part of the University Fellows Program for three years.

“Through philanthropy we can create life-changing opportunities for our students,” says Montclair State University President Jonathan Koppell. “We are fortunate to have Chuck and Laura’s partnership as it opens up pathways for students to earn an education, embark on successful business careers, and better serve society.”

Muth recently retired from his position of chief growth officer at Beyond Meat® where he led the company’s growth initiatives and steered its high performing sales and marketing efforts, growing revenue and expanding distribution.

He enjoyed a long career in the beverage industry, devoting the bulk of his career to The Coca-Cola Company, where he began as a route salesman for The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of New York and progressively advanced with promotions to district sales manager, division sales manager, director of brand management and branch general manager. He also served in leadership roles including, senior vice president of Venturing & Emerging Brands, a division of Coca-Cola; senior vice president of sales for Honest Tea, a division of Coca-Cola; senior vice president of sales and marketing at The Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company; and vice president and general manager of Joseph E. Seagram’s global non-alcoholic beverages business unit.

“We are very grateful for Chuck and Laura Muth’s generous support in carrying out the School’s mission of developing talent for a changing world,” says Kimberly Hollister, dean of the Feliciano School of Business and Acting Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Their recent gift and continued philanthropic engagement will provide opportunities for hardworking and high-achieving students for years to come.”