University of Illinois Board of Trustees Chairman Don Edwards and his wife, Anne, on Wednesday announced a $10 million gift to their alma mater, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – the largest gift ever by a U of I trustee.
The Edwards, of Chicago, are longtime donors to the university and both 1988 graduates of the Gies College of Business. Their latest gift will fund scholarships, athletics and the Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) and Discovery Partners Institute (DPI), pioneering education and research initiatives led by the U of I System.
“My wife, Anne, and I are thrilled to make this $10 million gift to the university that transformed our lives,” said Edwards, a trustee since 2017 who is serving his second annual term as board chair. “We want to pay forward the opportunities we have enjoyed, supporting the students and innovation that are key to progress and economic growth for our state and our nation.”
Half of the gift will support IIN and DPI, which were launched to prepare students and workers to step into prosperous, high-tech jobs, and to increase funding for the applied research and development that will create more of those life-changing careers. The couple is donating $3 million to support Gies faculty working at DPI, a world-class education and research center in Chicago, and another $2 million will go toward a DPI-Gies Technology/Innovation Fund, which will support DPI facilities and innovative programs.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday announced that he has released $500 million in funding for IIN and DPI, which will allow architectural design work to begin while also accelerating the drive to secure more private funding. Edwards said he hopes his family’s gift will catalyze financial support from other alumni and from business and tech leaders.
“I can’t think of a better testimonial for IIN and DPI and for our programs in Urbana than the support of Don and Anne, who have seen our operations from every angle and know firsthand the power they hold to drive progress,” said Tim Killeen, president of the U of I System. “I am deeply grateful for their confidence, their loyalty and their generosity.”
Gies also will receive $2 million to establish an “Edwards Scholars” program, which will provide meaningful scholarships to help the college attract the highest achieving students. The couple’s gift also provides $2 million toward a major renovation of the Illini basketball practice facility, the Richard T. Ubben Basketball Complex. Another $1 million will support the Illini men’s golf program, bringing the couple’s support for that program to more than $2 million.
The Edwards family supports numerous philanthropic activities, with emphasis on civic causes in Chicago and education for students across the spectrum – from underrepresented groups and students with disabilities to the highest achieving students.
“We emphasize education in our giving and especially the schools that have so positively impacted our family, with the most focus on U of I,” Edwards said. “Our alma mater, Gies Business and – as an athletic scholarship recipient myself – the DIA and the men’s golf program hold a special place in our hearts.”
Don Edwards earned his bachelor’s degree in finance with University Honors and was a Bronze Tablet recipient, in addition to being a four-year letter-winner on the men’s golf team, winning a Big Ten team championship in 1988. He went on to earn his MBA from Harvard Business School with Baker Scholar distinction in 1994.
He is founder and chief executive officer of Flexpoint Ford, a private equity investment firm focused on healthcare and financial services that has raised $5 billion in capital. Prior to establishing Flexpoint Ford in 2005, he worked in private equity as a principal for GTCR, a leading Chicago-based firm, and served as an investment banker at Lazard Ltd. He also serves as commissioner of the Chicago Park District, a trustee of the Museum of Contemporary Art, a director of Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, a director of World Business Chicago, and chairman of the finance and audit committees of the board of the PGA of America.
Anne Edwards earned her bachelor’s degree in accountancy and went on to become a certified public accountant. She serves on the women’s board of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Founders Board of Lurie Children’s Hospital, and also serves on the steering committee for the Gies “With Illinois” capital fundraising campaign.
