Sep 26, 2006 -- Former YU chairman of the board and New York City industrialist Ronald P. Stanton has announced a gift of $100 million to Yeshiva University. The largest single gift ever in North America in support of Jewish education and Jewish life, Mr. Stanton’s contribution affirms his commitment to Yeshiva University’s distinctive mission and his endorsement of the strategic direction set by the University’s president, Richard M. Joel.

The contribution creates the Ronald P. Stanton Legacy, an innovative philanthropic fund to help realize the University’s bold strategic directions to enhance undergraduate and Jewish education. This “revolving” fund will provide the means to expeditiously pursue projects, acquisitions, and programs identified by the University President. The Ronald P. Stanton Legacy will benefit the University’s growth initiatives in facilities acquisition and renovation, the recruitment and retention of top quality faculty across the various disciplines, faculty research and scholarship, and undergraduate and Jewish education. Assets drawn from the fund will be replenished as named gifts for these initiatives are received from other benefactors.

Ronald P. Stanton

Mr. Stanton is chairman of Transammonia, Inc., a private company that trades, distributes and transports fertilizer materials, liquefied petroleum gases, petrochemicals, and crude oil. Established by Mr. Stanton in 1965, Transammonia is listed by Forbes magazine as one of the nation’s 100 largest private corporations.

Born in 1928 in Wiesbaden, Germany, Mr. Stanton immigrated to the United States in 1937. His involvement with Yeshiva University began soon after, when he was offered a scholarship by Congregation Shearith Israel, the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in New York, to study at the institution and prepare for a career in the rabbinate. He preferred a career in business, and chose to study economics at City College of New York, from which he graduated in 1950. However, he formed a long-standing personal and philanthropic relationship with the University. In 1976, he was elected to Yeshiva University’s Board of Trustees; in 1992, he was named a Vice Chairman and 10 years later was elected the seventh Chairman of the Board. He continues to serve as the longest serving member of the University’s board. As Chairman of the University’s successful $400 million capital campaign, launched in 2000, he guided the campaign to its goal in just three years. For that campaign, he established a $10 million capital fund.

YU President Richard M. Joel and Chairman of the Board Emeritus Ronald P. Stanton addressing Yeshiva University's Board of Trustees.

“We are extremely grateful to Ron for his historic beneficence, as well as his steadfast confidence in Yeshiva University’s mission,” said President Richard M. Joel. “Indeed, Ron is ensuring that Yeshiva University solidifies its position as one of America’s ‘top-tier’ research universities, while also maintaining its unique identity in academia – a place where excellence in liberal arts and sciences is pursued hand-in-hand with the timeless teachings of the Jewish story, and where wisdom is brought to life through a value-centered education that fosters a heightened sense of advocacy and responsibility to the betterment of humanity.”

“The people who created Yeshiva University expressed a boldness of purpose and imagination as well as the dedication and willingness to give of themselves in order to achieve where we are today,” said Mr. Stanton. “I have confidence in President Joel’s far-reaching vision of where the University should be tomorrow, and am thankful to be able to give my own contribution to help him achieve it.”

A previous gift from Mr. Stanton endowed the Hedi Steinberg Library at Stern College for Women, the University’s undergraduate college of arts and sciences for women, named for Mr. Stanton’s mother. She was an inspiring life force for Mr. Stanton through her deep and abiding commitment to Jewish causes. This commitment was magnificently manifested in her efforts on behalf of Yeshiva University and other Jewish organizations.

Mr. Stanton was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the University in 1982.

In addition to his involvement with the University, Mr. Stanton is an honorary trustee of Congregation Shearith Israel, and a member of the boards of New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Lincoln Center.