PRESS
June 6, 2022
University of Miami to establish The George P. Hanley Democracy Center
The center, set to launch this fall, will study the practice of democratic politics both in the United States and globally and will offer research grants and public programming.
CORAL GABLES, Fla., June 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As public trust in democratic governments shows signs of erosion, the University of Miami will establish a nonpartisan democracy center designed to research and disseminate the practice of the democratic process.
The George P. Hanley Democracy Center—which will launch in the fall and be housed in the College of Arts and Sciences—is being established through a generous commitment from George Hanley, a financier, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who has extensive experience in founding and building successful companies in the financial and commercial real estate industries. Based in Miami, Hanley is involved in commercial real estate locally and nationally, including in Nashville, Tennessee, and Chicago, Illinois.
The gift, which is part of the University’s fundraising campaign—Ever Brighter: The Campaign for Our Next Century—will also create The George P. Hanley Endowed Chair in Democracy, to be awarded to a tenured professor with expertise in the field.
Hanley, who has a history of endowing educational institutions and believes in “nourishing, mentoring, and investing” in young people, said that it is the right time to establish a democracy center.
“People need to have civil discourse,” he shared. “I find that when I have civil discourse with people, we are much closer in views than the cable news shows would have us believe. This is a center to look at different ways of thinking and to bring people together. Because at the end of the day, we are all Americans,” he added.
“This is a very important time to open up this center,” said Gregory Koger, chair and professor of political science, noting the challenges to democracy both in the United States and globally.
According to Koger, the center’s mission is to study the practice of democratic politics and share knowledge about politics with the public, offering citizens, scholars, and public officials the information they need to make informed decisions about the structure and practice of elections and governing.
“The University of Miami is the ideal academic venue for the democracy center,” said Leonidas Bachas, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Florida has a reputation as an electoral battleground, a proverbial swing state that often draws national attention. Our proximity to Latin America also places us in an ideal spot to study democracy in the Americas and beyond.”
Bachas indicated that the University’s “professors in political science and across all disciplines will provide expert analysis and context to all of the center’s programming and ensuing research so that the general public and public officials can gain a greater understanding of what democratic governance entails.”
Jeffrey Duerk, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, pointed out that many students “are participating in the democratic process for the first time, or, for some of our international students, seeing it in action for the first time. The Hanley Democracy Center and the Hanley endowed chair will support the kind of scholarship and dialogue that helps our entire campus community to better understand our rights and responsibilities and the impact of our choices as engaged citizens.”
Koger noted that there are clear signs that democracy has been weakened, both nationally and internationally. In the United States, those signs include an increasingly polarized electorate and a diminishing trust in institutions, including the press and political institutions, he said. Globally there are also indications of governments turning toward authoritarianism, he added.
“Our role will be to understand why some governments are turning to authoritarianism and how it is happening,” Koger said. “And [we need to] try to shore up the institutions and practices, so that it does not continue.”
To fulfill its mission, the center will offer research grants to faculty members who study democratic policies, conduct public programming, and host discussion panels, as well as provide support to students through internships.
In its programming, the center will explore issues of redistricting in Florida as well as in other states, how Congress could be more effective, and how campaigns are financed and the political implications of that financing, said Koger.
Although there are other university democracy centers focused on democratic governance and elections in Florida, according to Koger, The George P. Hanley Democracy Center will become the preeminent institution of its kind in South Florida.
June 6, 2022
University of Miami to establish The George P. Hanley Democracy Center
A gift from George Hanley will establish The George P. Hanley Democracy Center at the University of Miami.
The center, set to launch this fall, will study the practice of democratic politics both in the United States and globally and will offer research grants and public programming.
As public trust in democratic governments shows signs of erosion, the University of Miami will establish a nonpartisan democracy center designed to research and disseminate the practice of the democratic process.
The George P. Hanley Democracy Center—which will launch in the fall and be housed in the College of Arts and Sciences—is being established through a generous commitment from George Hanley, a financier, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who has extensive experience in founding and building successful companies in the financial and commercial real estate industries. Based in Miami, Hanley is involved in commercial real estate locally and nationally, including in Nashville, Tennessee, and Chicago, Illinois.
The gift, which is part of the University’s fundraising campaign—Ever Brighter: The Campaign for Our Next Century—will also create The George P. Hanley Endowed Chair in Democracy, to be awarded to a tenured professor with expertise in the field.
Hanley, who has a history of endowing educational institutions and believes in “nourishing, mentoring, and investing” in young people, said that it is the right time to establish a democracy center.
“People need to have civil discourse,” he shared. “I find that when I have civil discourse with people, we are much closer in views than the cable news shows would have us believe. This is a center to look at different ways of thinking and to bring people together. Because at the end of the day, we are all Americans,” he added.
“This is a very important time to open up this center,” said Gregory Koger, chair and professor of political science, noting the challenges to democracy both in the United States and globally.
According to Koger, the center’s mission is to study the practice of democratic politics and share knowledge about politics with the public, offering citizens, scholars, and public officials the information they need to make informed decisions about the structure and practice of elections and governing.
“The University of Miami is the ideal academic venue for the democracy center,” said Leonidas Bachas, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Florida has a reputation as an electoral battleground, a proverbial swing state that often draws national attention. Our proximity to Latin America also places us in an ideal spot to study democracy in the Americas and beyond.”
Bachas indicated that the University’s “professors in political science and across all disciplines will provide expert analysis and context to all of the center’s programming and ensuing research so that the general public and public officials can gain a greater understanding of what democratic governance entails.”
Jeffrey Duerk, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, pointed out that many students “are participating in the democratic process for the first time, or, for some of our international students, seeing it in action for the first time. The Hanley Democracy Center and the Hanley endowed chair will support the kind of scholarship and dialogue that helps our entire campus community to better understand our rights and responsibilities and the impact of our choices as engaged citizens.”
Koger noted that there are clear signs that democracy has been weakened, both nationally and internationally. In the United States, those signs include an increasingly polarized electorate and a diminishing trust in institutions, including the press and political institutions, he said. Globally there are also indications of governments turning toward authoritarianism, he added.
“Our role will be to understand why some governments are turning to authoritarianism and how it is happening,” Koger said. “And [we need to] try to shore up the institutions and practices, so that it does not continue.”
To fulfill its mission, the center will offer research grants to faculty members who study democratic policies, conduct public programming, and host discussion panels, as well as provide support to students through internships.
In its programming, the center will explore issues of redistricting in Florida as well as in other states, how Congress could be more effective, and how campaigns are financed and the political implications of that financing, said Koger.
Although there are other university democracy centers focused on democratic governance and elections in Florida, according to Koger, The George P. Hanley Democracy Center will become the preeminent institution of its kind in South Florida.
May 26, 2020
FON Advisors Announces George Hanley as Chief Investment Officer
FON Advisors further expands its advisory solutions platform with a new hire.
McLean, Virginia, May 26, 2020 (EIN Presswire) - David Walsh, Managing Partner of FON Advisors, LLC (“FON”) announced that George Hanley has joined the FON team as Chief Investment Officer.
FON Advisors is a global advisory firm specializing in the Aerospace, Defense & Government Industry (“ADG”) whose core service lines are: Investment Banking; Valuation Advisory; Management Consulting; and Investing. We are proud to serve as a trusted advisor to corporations, investors, and capital providers as they navigate the ADG landscape. We bring expertise, experience, creativity and innovation together to optimize client outcomes. Our services are built on comprehensive industry knowledge and extensive transaction experience. Our network of senior advisors and contacts provide additional real-time market, customer, and solution insights. At FON, we are passionate about turning bold ideas into breakthrough outcomes. We excel at helping clients clearly articulate their portfolio of innovations to create new markets for their technology, optimizing existing products to broaden current revenue opportunities, and providing timely information to focus strategic capital deployment.
George Hanley will be Chief Investment Officer of FON and will be responsible for guiding the overall investment activities of the firm. Mr. Hanley is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. He has extensive experience and expertise in founding and building successful companies in the financial and commercial real estate industries. Currently, he is the Founder and Manager of TFH Partners, a private investment firm focused on impact investing and emerging technology. He is also the Founder and President of the Hanley Foundation, created to advance transformative education, socially conscious artists, environmental and gender empowerment solutions.
Mr. Walsh said, “I am very excited to welcome George and be able to bring his unique insight and operator’s focus to FON. George’s success as a serial founder and investor, through both robust and dire financial markets, is rooted in his decades of leadership and execution experience. I am proud to welcome George to the FON family and see him strengthen our combination of practical experience, strategic smarts and day to day agility.”
Sept. 20, 2014
A $12M Gift to Make an Alma Mater the Next Big Green School
He’s an enthusiastic alumni donor. George Hanley made a $12.5 million gift to make the University of Dayton a leading sustainable school. But it’s not just about green buildings.
The donation from the George Hanley Foundation will go to establish the Hanley Sustainability Institute, which extends the school’s sustainability efforts, but also weaves environmental education throughout its curriculum. The idea is to make the institute’s work integrated throughout the university, not just through environmental science and brick-and-mortar standards, but by teaching all majors how to pursue sustainability post-graduation.
“It’s a call to action for the university as a whole to infuse our commitment to sustainability throughout everything we do,” President Daniel J. Curran told the Akron Beacon Journal.
The institute’s initial programs will include an interdisciplinary graduate certificate in sustainability, an urban agriculture project with the Dayton community, a research fellowship, and a conference on sustainability learning.
The Catholic university had already been pursuing sustainability efforts, which the school president sees as fitting within the Marianist tradition. The tenets of Marianist education include service and justice, as well as educating for adaptation and change. Officials said sustainability has been growing increasingly popular among incoming students. The Hanley gift will start a $25 million capital campaign for the center.
The Hanleys have made donations to the University of Dayton over the years, but this is the largest in the school’s history, an interesting hybrid of the couple’s interests.
George Hanley graduated from the university with a business degree in 1985, and serves as a trustee. He went on to be a successful high-speed trader, and in 2007, gave half a million to the university to establish the Hanley Trading Center.
The Hanley Foundation has been around since 1997, giving to the environment, education, and human rights. The foundation’s environment program is most interested in climate change solutions, but also supports work on sustainable food systems, and environmental literacy.
Aside from the UD donation, they’ve supported the Sierra Club, NRDC, Midwest group the Clean Energy Trust, and faith-based environment group Faith in Place. Read more about the foundation at their website.
Sep 19, 2014
UD receives $12.5M gift to create sustainability institute
In the largest gift in its history, University of Dayton will create a new sustainability institute thanks to a $12.5 million donation.
The funds come from the George Hanley Foundation, and will be used to create the Hanley Sustainability Institute. The new institute will grow the school’s sustainability curriculum and focus on developing a workforce that is prepared to address sustainability in business. Benefactor George Hanley, a 1985 UD business graduate, said more businesses across all sectors will need that kind of expertise.
“We think we’re seeing this city begin to turn around, and the schools are a big part of that,” George Hanley said in a media event on UD’s campus attended by students and alumni. “We wanted out gift to contribute to that turnaround.”
The school says it will launch a campaign to raise funds from foundations, corporations and other donors, with the goal of matching the donation and bringing the funding for the institute to $25 million.
“It is a call to action for the University as a whole to infuse our commitment to sustainability throughout everything we do,” said Dan Curran, president of UD.
The gift is the largest in the school’s history. In 2000, the school received $10.5 million from the Society of Mary (Marianists).
In 2008, it received $10 million from an alumnus who chose to remain anonymous, which was to be used for scholarships for business, education and engineering students.
UD currently has a minor program for sustainability. With the new institute, it says it will add an interdisciplinary graduate certificate for sustainability, create an urban agriculture demonstration project with Dayton leaders, and establish research fellows and scholars in residence so faculty can conduct sustainability-focused research.
It will also create a conference on sustainability education, the Hanley Conference, to bring thought leaders in the discipline together.
“Addressing the complex challenges of creating a more sustainable world calls for expertise from a variety of disciplines and a culture of collaboration and creativity,” said Paul Benson, UD’s interim provost.
The need for knowledge of sustainable business practices is expected to grow. A study by EthicalMarkets.com found the green economy is already more than $1 trillion a year, and will grow to $2.7 trillion by 2020, with students in business, engineering, education, health sciences arts and sciences seeing benefits from incorporating sustainability into their working lives.
Sept 19, 2014
University of Dayton gets $12.5 million gift
A $12.5 million gift for the University of Dayton from the George Hanley Foundation will be used to establish the Hanley Sustainability Institute.
The gift, the largest in university history, is “an investment in the future of the planet” and will position the university as a national leader in sustainability education, UD President Dan Curran said Friday.
The university is launching a campaign to raise additional money from foundations, corporations and other donors to bring total funding from the institute to $25 million, according to information from the school.
The Hanley Sustainability Institute will integrate sustainability education into UD’s entire curriculum and will impact science, business engineering, social sciences, humanities, education law and human rights, according to information from UD.
Curran said sustainability is part of the university’s long-range strategy. He pointed to several examples including:
* New construction being LEED certified;
* Having one of the largest food composting programs in the nation;
* Diverting more than 1,000 tons of waste from landfills;
* Graduate students working on innovative alternative fuel sources.
The Hanleys said UD’s leadership in sustainability issues were a driver in their decision to establish the institute.
George Hanley, a 1985 UD grad and member of the Board of Trustees, said the gift is about the students and giving them opportunities to push sustainability forward.
The Hanleys, long-time supporters of the university, have previously supported student scholarships in minority engineering and law. In 2007, the established the Hanley Trading Center in the university’s school of business administration.
George Hanley has been involved in the trading business for more than 35 years. He also is a member at the Chicago Board of Trade and Chicago Mercantile exchange, now CME Group. He is a co-founder and principal of Level 5 Trading.
The new Hanley Institute will include real world projects and will involve community partners. One project Curran mentioned was an urban agriculture demonstration project in Dayton. The school also will hold national conferences and establish research fellowships for students and faculty from all disciplines, he said.
Curran said sustainability fits with the school’s Catholic, Marianist tradition.
“We will work together to make a difference in the lives of others in ways we cannot even imagine today,” Curran said.
“This will help make a difference in ways we cannot even imagine,” UD President Dan Curran said.
Ryan Schuessler, a senior in mechanical engineering and director of Sustainability Week for the school, said student interest in sustainability is at an all-time high.
” Students are looking for more ways to go beyond the classroom and beyond graduation day to incorporate sustainability into their life’s work,” he said. “The Hanley Institute will prepare students, no matter what their major, for careers that call for deep understanding of how sustainability, energy and the environment are interrelated.”
First-year student Maggie McGauran said she came to the event because she was intrigued about what the big announcement was. Although she is undecided, she said she wants to learn more about sustainability initiatives at the school.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s so generous. It will be really nice for the community,” she said. “I would be interested…to see what this opportunity will mean for students here.”
To date, the largest gift to the university has been $10.5 million from the Society of Mary (Marianists) in 2000. It was earmarked for scholarships and for Catholic, Marianist academics and activities. Other large gifts have ranged from $7.5 million to $10 million.
Sep 18, 2014
Graduate Announces Largest-Ever Gift To University Of Dayton
A 1985 University of Dayton graduate is pledging a $12.5 million gift — the largest single gift in the school’s history.
The gift, from the George Hanley Foundation, is intended to “establish the University as a national leader for innovation in sustainability education.”
UD President Daniel J. Curran says at many universities, sustainability education is focused solely on the environmental sciences.
“This gift will extend sustainability education across multiple disciplines, creating innovative learning opportunities for undergraduates and graduates, enhancing faculty and student research while expanding community and corporate partnerships and experiential education,” Curran said.
The gift will expand the university’s sustainability programs will be extended campuswide.
“It is our intent with this gift to allow students and faculty throughout the University to think creatively about how to put their knowledge to work in real-world projects that extend learning beyond the classroom,” said George Hanley, a 1985 business graduate and member of the University of Dayton board of trustees. “We want to educate and prepare students for careers — in every sector — that will help create a more sustainable future.”
With the Hanleys’ lead gift, the University will launch a comprehensive campaign to raise funds from foundations, corporations and other donors to bring total funding for the institute to $25 million.
“We at the Sierra Club are thrilled about this substantial investment in eco-literacy,” said Avital Andrews, who oversees Sierra magazine’s annual ranking of America’s greenest schools. “It’s rare to hear about philanthropists who directly support college students’ environmental education — which is even more important than supporting brick-and-mortar sustainability improvements on campus, since it’ll empower young people to create a more sustainable world.”
Initial objectives of the institute include:
● Developing an interdisciplinary graduate certificate in sustainability.
● Creating an urban agriculture demonstration project with community partners in Dayton.
● Establishing Hanley Research Fellows and Hanley Scholars-in-Residence to support student and faculty research.
● Inaugurating the Hanley Conference on Sustainability Education to convene dialogue on innovations in sustainability learning.
● Earning a gold STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System) designation from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education and eventually becoming the top-rated Catholic university on that list.