SAN MARCOS ---- It's official: Cal State San Marcos' new business building has been named Markstein Hall.

A little more than a month after the university announced that Rancho Santa Fe residents Ken and Carole Markstein had donated $5 million to the university's College of Business Administration, Cal State trustees voted unanimously Wednesday in Long Beach to have the home of the business school bear the couple's name.

Their donation is the largest single gift to the university in its 16-year history, officials have said. The couple own Markstein Beverage Co. of San Marcos, a wholesale distributor of Anheuser-Busch and Modelo products.

"It's an honor for Cal State San Marcos to carry on the Markstein family name," said Cal State President Karen Haynes in a statement from Long Beach.

"They have been successful in their business, devoted to their family, and committed to the region where they live, work and volunteer their energy. The trustees want to acknowledge their contributions, and Markstein Hall will stand in tribute for future generations of business students and leaders."

The Marksteins were unavailable for comment Wednesday.

Dennis Guseman, dean of the university's College of Business Administration, described the naming as a "cornerstone" signifying "the beginning of great things."

"The naming is an honor and recognition of the generous gift that the Marksteins have given. Their gift will allow us to make a tremendous difference in this area," said Guseman in an interview Wednesday.

The Marksteins' gift will go toward providing what officials call greater margins of quality at the College of Business Administration. It brings the college halfway to its $12 million goal in a five-year capital campaign launched a little more than six months ago.

Guseman said that while part of the money will be used for the completion of the building, it will also be used for program development to serve the community, for student scholarships, and for attracting and retaining faculty.

"It's my belief that there is a window of opportunity now in North County and it's extremely important for the College of Business Administration to seize the opportunity and to help North County reach its potential," Guseman said. "I really see the College of Business playing two roles ---- to educate future business leaders and managers, but also to act as a resource for the existing businesses within the area."

The new business building is expected to meet the university's needs for business education for 10 to 20 more years and is taking shape at the highest point on campus. The $27 million building has been on the drawing board since 1999 and will be flanked by Academic Hall and University Hall, completing a triangle there and facing the Palm Court.

Business is the most popular major at the university, pursued by about one in five of the more than 7,500 students enrolled at Cal State.

The 80,000-square-foot building will house the entire College of Business Administration, and will accommodate about 3,150 business students, Guseman has said.

The building features four tiered lecture halls, group study rooms, 88 faculty offices and several conference rooms. It also includes 27 'smart classrooms,' where professors can connect to the Internet or their own personal computer while teaching. Construction began in May 2004, and is expected to be done by the end of the year, Guseman said.

Contact Marga Kellogg at 760-761-4409 or mkellogg@nctimes.com.