Norman Loui, co-founder of Hawaiian Rent-All, left Honolulu Community College $3.4 million when he died in 2006, the school announced last week.

Loui graduated in 1961 from what was then called Honolulu Technical School. HCC officials said the private donation is the largest ever for a state community college in Hawaii. The donation is to go for a scholarship fund and to support carpentry and marine-education programs. The school held a dedication ceremony Saturday to honor the life and legacy of Loui. The school renamed the Kapalama Media Conference Center the Norman W.H. Loui Conference Center.

The Honolulu Star Bulletin reported that Loui never forgot how many students could not afford to buy the tools they needed to complete their coursework.

Loui studied carpentry at the college and after furthering his studies in Chicago at DeVry Electronics Institute, later returned to Hawaii and founded Hawaiian Rent-All with his brother Gordon. The company became the state’s largest equipment rental company. The Loui brothers sold the company in 2003.

Norman Loui, co-founder of Hawaiian Rent-All, left $3.4 million to Honolulu Community College when he died in 2006. Loui graduated from the school in 1961.