The A. B. Freeman School of Business gratefully acknowledges the following individuals, families, corporations and foundations whose generous support made the Goldring/Woldenberg Business Complex possible.
Building Anchor Gifts
Goldring Family Foundation
The Marshall Heritage Foundation
The Woldenberg Foundation
Building Founders
Leigh Anne & John Raymond
Irwin & Daryl Simon Foundation
Irwin & Daryl Simon
Bill Goldring
Left to right, Board of Tulane Chair Doug Hertz (A&S ’74, MBA ’76), Bill Goldring (BBA ’64) and Tulane President Mike Fitts.
From his decades of service on the Board of Tulane to his committed philanthropy, which includes an anchor gift for the stunning new expansion that unifies Goldring/Woldenberg Halls I and II, William A. “Bill” Goldring (BBA ’64) is the definition of a committed Tulanian.
His close relationship with the university, as well as his many professional successes as the longtime chairman of the Sazerac Company, give him a unique perspective on the surging growth of the business school. He regards the expansion as reflective of the maxim he lives by, “In business and in life, you can’t stand still — you are either moving forward or
backward.” Speaking at the ceremony marking the completion of the project, he enthused, “I am thrilled that the business school is not standing still and that its movement is certainly forward.”
For Goldring the expansion was imperative. “If Tulane wanted to continue to attract students from across the country and the world, it was an absolute necessity.” A lifelong New Orleanian, he regards the expansion as part of a larger narrative, adding, “Tulane is the center of gravity for the city of New Orleans. Bringing people into New Orleans through the university is something that must be done on a continual basis — Tulane University is so important to doing that.”
Although the expansion, with its glass façade and towering central atrium, has already transformed the uptown campus, Goldring envisions the physical presence of the building as the beginning of a continuum of transformation. “It is wonderful that we can provide this tremendous building where students can get the educational foundation they need, but it is more gratifying to see the success that the students have once they graduate.”
Building Benefactors
J. Aron Charitable Foundation
Sean & Karen Aron
Evie & Stacey Berger
Nancy & Josh Blaine
Kim & Geoff Block
Loree & John Eckstein
Mark & Margo Fogelman
Ella West Freeman Foundation
Judith W. & Louis M. Freeman
Lotta & Jeff Fox
Jenny & Bob Kottler
Sally & Jay Lapeyre
Austin, Fran & Alan Levin
Jimmy & Lillian Maurin
Andy & Nancy Mills
Northeast Building Products
Frances & Alan Offenberg
The Olagues Family Foundation
Pan-American Life Insurance Group
Rick & Debbie Rees
Fay & George Rizzo
Suquet Family Charitable Fund
Shelley & Ira Taub
Wayne Teetsel
Tulane Association of Business Alumni
Giffen & CiCi Weinmann
Charles Swanson
Charles Swanson (A&S ’75, MBA ’77)
Tulane University didn’t seem like a perfect fit for Charles Swanson (A&S ’75, MBA ’77) when his father dropped him off for the first time as an undergraduate. He couldn’t even get into his freshman dorm room.
“The key didn’t work,” says Swanson, chuckling. Luckily, that first impression didn’t foreshadow his ultimate Tulane experience. “It worked out because six years later I left with two degrees, a ton of friends and a future wife.”
Swanson, who retired from Ernst & Young in June after a 41-year career with the firm, raves about his business school education. “I attribute all of my business success, and, really, much of the good fortune in my life in general, to Tulane.” Swanson is impressed with the direction of the A. B. Freeman School of Business and its ability to prepare tomorrow’s business leaders, which he sees as further strengthened by the “breathtaking” new business school complex.
“The new facility is so impressive,” Swanson says. “It really is the epicenter of the campus.” Swanson marvels at the Freeman School’s exploding popularity and the impressive caliber of faculty. He praises Dean Ira Solomon’s leadership, crediting him with building a strong, engaging program.
“Ira’s strategy and what he’s been able to execute has been very impressive,” Swanson says. It is fitting that Swanson made a generous gift to support the new Goldring/Woldenberg Business Complex by naming the Swanson Family Dean’s Office.
“My wife Karen and I think the world of both Ira and his wife, Susan. For us, our friendship with the Solomons made the naming gift of Ira’s office even more special.” Swanson is committed to supporting the Freeman School during the historic
“Only the Audacious” campaign and as the school’s momentum continues to rise. “It is nice to be part of a winning team,” Swanson says. “Whether one is a Freeman student, faculty member, administrator, Business School Council member, or alum, you are part of a winning team, and Freeman is certainly ‘winning’ right now.”
Building Fellows
Meredith Rich Angrist & Jonathan C. Angrist
Amy & Jason Blavatt
The Blavatt Glazer Cogan Foundation
Russell L. Brown, Barbara B. Brown,
Diana G. Brown
The P. & C. Carroll Foundation
Charlene & Philip Carroll
Kenneth Carroll
Mr. & Mrs. James S. Carter Sr.
Elizabeth R. & Andrew I. Cohen
The Harvey and Jody Dales Family
Philanthropic Foundation
Harvey & Jody Dales
David & Jennifer Ducote
Francis L. Fraenkel
Merryl Thaler Gersten & Barry S. Gersten
2016-2017 Graduate Business Council
Teresa & Benjamin F. Joel II
Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home and Cemetery
Lisa & David Madden
Susan Brophy Moore & David G. Moore
Mark E. Nicol
Kristen & Mark Perlmutter
Lee & Saul L. Rachelson
David E. Rainbolt
Lori & Andrew Richman
Fiona J. & David M. Roman
Edward C. Roman II
Hannah M. Roman
Sarah P. Roman
Service Corporation International
Patricia L. Stern & Scott C. Satterwhite
Karen & Charles Swanson
Rick Rees
Rick Rees (A&S ’74, MBA ’75) was the first person in his family to attend college. Armed with ambition and a strong work
ethic, he received both his undergraduate degree and MBA within four years. Rees was grateful that the then-dean of Tulane’s graduate business school embraced his determination and ingenuity, never throwing up roadblocks. Rees, now the
co-founder and managing partner of New Orleans private equity firm LongueVue Capital and member of the Board of Tulane, has become a leader in the city’s business community and continues to demonstrate the principles that helped him flourish while he was at Tulane.
Debbie (A&S ’76, MBA ’77) and Rick (A&S ’74, MBA ’75) Rees.
“Throughout my career, I have tried to foster a work environment that supports and rewards ambition, hard work, innovation and creativity,” Rees says. Rees and his wife, Debbie (A&S ’76, MBA ’77), credit much of their professional success to the world-class education they received at Tulane. Though an unprecedented enrollment surge posed growing pains for the Freeman School, the Reeses saw an opportunity, and happily welcomed the fact that many Tulane students were choosing to take business courses.
“As Tulane embarked on its “Only the Audacious” capital campaign,” Rees says, “Debbie and I were aware of the challenges facing the Freeman School and wanted to play a role in helping to solve them and to position the school for continued success into the future.”
And they did just that, by naming the Rees Family Commons at the new Goldring/Woldenberg Business Complex.
“As the largest school in the undergraduate education program at Tulane, the Freeman School should be a world-class facility with a world-class faculty that provides an opportunity for all students to grow and excel,” Rees said. “I am convinced that with the new Goldring/Woldenberg Business Complex, combined with the resources being made available to hire additional faculty, the Freeman School is poised to become the crown jewel of Tulane.”
Rees added, “New Orleans is our home, and by investing in Tulane, we are also investing to make New Orleans a more vibrant community.”
Building Donors
Baton Rouge Area Foundation
Carol Gene & Howard S. Cohen
Mary & Edward J. Crawford IV
Shirley Y. Roman
Building Supporters
Sylvia Bloom
Sean Curran & Elana O’Reilly
Omer & Marybeth Davis
Monique & Charles Jalenak
Morgan Stanley
Building Friends
Anne-Marie S. Baker
Katy S. & Jared L. Boneno
Daniel A. Chasin
Aimee & R. West Freeman III
Charles Hilsabeck
Vincent Ilustre & Brian Karr
Susan & George Parisi
Marcie D. & Brett W. Robinson
Warren & Coleen Walhaug
Weinmann Foundation
Matching Gifts
Anonymous
Bank of America Foundation
Ernst and Young Foundation
ExxonMobil Foundation
Goldman, Sachs and Company
Payden and Rygel
