School of Business Alumni Invest More Than $1.5 Million to Support Student Success

Five graduates of UAlbany’s School of Business have made gifts totaling more than $1.5 million to the University’s comprehensive fundraising campaign.

This Is Our Time: The Campaign for UAlbany has raised $120 million, 80 percent of its $150 million goal.

Michael and Janis Weilheimer have pledged $500,000 to add to the Esther Weilheimer Scholarship. Named in memory of Michael’s mother, the scholarship was established in 2010 to support School of Business undergraduates who exhibit a commitment to excellence in learning and demonstrate financial need.

Weilheimer graduated from UAlbany in 1983 and his wife, Janis, is a 1984 graduate.

“The School of Business was instrumental in jump-starting my career,” Weilheimer said.

He currently serves as vice president and director of high yield investments at Eaton Vance Management in Boston. His support of UAlbany includes serving on the School’s Dean’s Advisory Board and the University at Albany Foundation Board of Directors.

A bequest expected to exceed $250,000 from Roanne Kulakoff ’81 will support students in business and the arts.

Kulakoff, who has contributed $100,000 over the past decade, retired in 2011 from Kekst and Company Inc. following more than 25 years at the corporate communications consulting firm.

As a UAlbany student, she earned a dual degree in business and economics and served as editor of the Torch yearbook and chief photographer of the University Photo Service.

“I had such a positive experience at UAlbany in business and photography that I wanted to support both programs with my campaign gift,” Kulakoff said.

Like Michael Weilheimer, she serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board of the School of Business and University at Albany Foundation Board of Directors.

Another member of the Dean’s Advisory Board, Mary Haggerty ’82, has pledged $230,000 to endow a scholarship for direct admits to the School of Business.

Haggerty, a managing director at JP Morgan Chase & Co. in New York City, said the knowledge and skills she gained at the School helped propel her career. She hopes her scholarship will expand opportunities for student success, particularly for women.

“I’ve always felt that it was important to support and empower women,” Haggerty said. “During my Wall Street career, there have been many times where I’ve been the only woman at the table, and though that’s changed in the past 10 years, I want to help women continue to advance and have financial empowerment, independence and choices in their lives.”

Carl Florio ’71 directed his $575,000 campaign gift to the Dean’s Fund for Excellence, providing the School of Business with the flexibility to meet its most important priorities and seize new opportunities.

Florio is the vice chairperson of Albany-based Paradigm Capital Management. He served on the University at Albany Foundation Board of Directors for more than 20 years as well as the School of Business Capital Region Dean’s Advisory Board.

“I’ve always believed it’s important that alumni support the University,” Florio said. “I want to help take a little bit of the burden off of students’ shoulders financially so that they can spend more time and energy on their studies and other school activities.”

Dean Nilanjan Sen noted that the donors’ contributions to the School of Business extended beyond their financial support.

“We benefit greatly from the time and wisdom that these alumni donate to the School,” said Sen. “Their generous campaign gifts allow us to nurture talented and motivated students by strengthening scholarships and career services and expanding opportunities for international travel. By adding to our resources, they bolster the School of Business’s excellence and continue to elevate our reputation.”