THE MAYER-BEUG FAMILY

risd connection: twins Lauren and Lindsay Mayer-Beug ’05 FAV; John Bueg is a member of RISD’s Board of Trustees

about the donors: John is the senior vice president of Home Video at Warner Strategic Marketing, a division of Warner Music Group, and a 30-year music business veteran. He has worked with recording artists such as Van Halen, Josh Groban, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Madonna, Eric Clapton, Don Henley, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac and George Harrison. The family suffered a personal tragedy on September 11, 2001, when they lost both Carolyn Mayer-Beug and her mother, who were returning home on American Flight 11 after dropping the twins off at school. Carolyn was a former senior vice president for Walt Disney Inc. and had a distinguished career as an independent filmmaker and video producer, earning the MTV Video of the Year award in 1992 for her work with Van Halen.

type of gift: The Mayer-Bueg family has established a memorial fund to honor Carolyn. A number of the family’s friends and professional contacts have made substantial contributions to the fund, which will help bring the Carolyn Mayer-Beug Studio to fruition in RISD’s new Chace Center.

rationale: Now juniors, Lauren and Lindsay have courageously moved ahead with their studies at RISD despite the horrific beginning to their years in Providence. The twins’ spirit and resilience inspired their stepfather to memorialize their mother through a major gift to RISD.

why risd? “RISD has been an exciting educational community for many years,” says John. “My wife felt very strongly that it was the right place for the girls, and my son [a high school student] is also interested in RISD. The school is important to the whole family, and one way to express that is to name a studio after Carolyn.”