UAlbany Announces Naming of Massry School of Business

A man in glasses addresses a group from a podium

Norman Massry speaks from the podium at the naming ceremony of the Massry School of Business. (Photo by Patrick Dodson)

ALBANY, N.Y. (April 19, 2024) — University at Albany President Havidán Rodríguez announced today the naming of the Massry School of Business in honor of the Massry family’s decades of philanthropic support.

A line of smiling, dressed-up people, including a baby and a child pose before a banner reading "Massry School of Business" — Three generations of the Massry family celebrate the naming of the Massry School of Business with UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez and his wife, Rosy Lopez, left, and VP for Advancement Fardin Sanai, right. (Photo by Patrick Dodson)

"For nearly 40 years, the Massry family has been a transformative source of support for the University at Albany," said Rodríguez. "The extraordinary generosity of three generations — including Morris and Esther Massry, their son Norman and his wife, Micki, and their children, Julie, Murray and Laurie — has made possible excellence and opportunity for UAlbany students today, tomorrow and far into the future."

The Massrys' most recent gift to the newly named Massry School of Business creates four endowed professorships; establishes the University’s largest endowed scholarship program; supports students’ transition from classroom to career; and provides unrestricted funds, allowing the school to seize new opportunities and innovate. The gift also expands the highly successful Massry Community Fellows Program, which provides students paid internships at local nonprofit organizations.

"I have had the pleasure of working with Morris Massry and Norman Massry for many years," said UAlbany Foundation President George R. Hearst III. "I would like to thank Norman and his family for their remarkable generosity. Their ongoing support is a powerful testament to their belief in UAlbany’s excellence."

"The Massrys are not only generous friends to the University, they are family," said Fardin Sanai, vice president for university advancement. "Their extraordinary investment in the Massry School of Business ensures it remains a launching pad for students who go on to successful careers and lives of accomplishment."

The Massry School of Business is the first school or college at the University at Albany to be named in recognition of philanthropic support.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to expand our partnership with the University at Albany,” said Norman Massry. "Our family's multigenerational commitment builds on my father’s long-standing love for the University. It is our goal to see the School of Business continue to grow in stature as it continues to give students access to an exceptional education. We thank President Rodríguez and his leadership team for making our collective vision possible."

The Massry Family

Philanthropy is a core value of the Massry family. Morris and Esther Massry believed in enhancing the Capital Region as a place to live, work and raise a family. Their support for local philanthropic causes is shared by generations of the family.

The Massrys' commitment to the University at Albany began in 1987, when Morris, recipient of the Community Laureate Award, became a director and then vice president of the University at Albany Foundation’s board of directors. Morris, who retired from the board in 2015 after almost 30 years of service, was recognized with the prestigious Citizen of the University Award in 2003 and received a Doctor of Humane Letters in 2007. As a member of UAlbany's Bio-Development Corporation, he promoted numerous transformational University initiatives, including the acquisition of the East Campus. Morris passed away in 2018 and Esther in 2021.

Their son Norman is an integral University partner, serving on the Citizen Laureate Advisory Committee since the early 2000s, transforming the event into the Capital Region’s premier annual fundraising dinner, and serving on the executive committee for the University’s $168 million This Is Our Time campaign. The University at Albany Foundation honored Norman and Micki with the Community Laureate Award in 2012.

A 2014 gift from the Massry family established an endowment to sustain the new School of Business building as a state-of-the-art resource for teaching, learning and research. The gift also endowed the Massry Community Fellows Program, which to date has allowed 36 UAlbany students to provide hands-on support to Capital Region nonprofits, and the Massry Lecture, which each year brings to campus thought leaders in the world of business. The 2024 Massry Lecture features Kristin Dolan '88, CEO of AMC Networks.