$65 million latest gift from philanthropist Dr. Herbert Wertheim follows his earlier $100 million donation to university
Florida State University announced a landmark $65 million philanthropic investment from Dr. Herbert Wertheim, a gift that not only reshapes the future of the university’s College of Business but also stands as the latest expression of one of American philanthropy’s most consequential and quietly visionary benefactors.
The historic investment, the most significant endowment gift in Florida State University’s history, permanently names the Herbert Wertheim College of Business and designates its new, world-class facility as the Herbert Wertheim Center for Business Excellence.
The timing is fitting: the college is entering a period of extraordinary momentum, marked by the opening of the largest academic building ever constructed at FSU, its 75th anniversary as a standalone academic unit, and record student enrollment.
For those familiar with Dr. Wertheim’s philanthropic legacy, the gift represents something more profound than an institutional milestone. It reflects a lifelong conviction that education—especially when aligned with healthcare, science, and workforce development—is among the most powerful forces for societal progress. Over decades, Wertheim has used his success as a scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur to build enduring academic institutions that expand opportunity and address real-world challenges.
“This partnership reflects my belief in the transformative power of education and healthcare,” Wertheim said, emphasizing that the goal is not only academic excellence, but the preparation of leaders capable of advancing innovation and strengthening communities. His approach to giving consistently focuses on long-term impact, institutional strength, and interdisciplinary relevance.
At Florida State, the gift establishes multiple endowed funds supporting faculty excellence, student scholarships, professional development, and emerging areas of study, while also launching the Wertheim Business of Healthcare Initiative. Designed to address critical gaps in the healthcare business workforce, the initiative will connect students with industry and government leaders to tackle systemic challenges in a sector that now represents more than $4.5 trillion of the U.S. economy.
Two endowed chairs in health systems operations and healthcare workforce leadership further anchor the university’s expanding role in healthcare education and innovation.
University leaders described the investment as transformative. FSU President Richard McCullough said the gift will propel the college forward for generations, while Dean Michael Hartline noted that it strengthens existing excellence while enabling bold new initiatives that will define the school’s future global impact.
The FSU gift joins an extraordinary portfolio of philanthropic achievements that has reshaped higher education across the country.
Dr. Wertheim has now helped establish multiple named academic institutions, including colleges of medicine, engineering, nursing, public health, optometry, music, and biomedical science at leading universities in Florida and California. His philanthropy is notable not only for its scale, but for its coherence—each gift reinforcing a broader vision that links education, healthcare, scientific discovery, and human well-being.
Born into a working-class family and a recipient of the Horatio Alger Award, Wertheim’s own journey informs his giving. After founding Brain Power Incorporated in 1971, he became a pioneering figure in optical science, developing UV-absorbing lens technologies that have protected millions from eye disease and blindness. That scientific legacy, grounded in prevention and public benefit, continues to shape his philanthropic philosophy.
At Florida State University, the Herbert Wertheim College of Business and its new Center for Business Excellence now stand as lasting symbols of that philosophy—institutions designed not only to educate, but to elevate, inspire, and serve. In an era when higher education faces mounting pressures, Dr. Herbert Wertheim’s investment offers a powerful reminder of what sustained, values-driven philanthropy can achieve when it is guided by vision, humility, and faith in the next generation.