Building Lasting Relationships

Building and nurturing relationships with donors, alums, and friends is vital to the success of the School of Business. Moreover, making such relationship-building a consistent, ongoing priority is something Dean McFarlin strongly believes in. As he puts it, “Always making the time for face-to-face meetings with donors and alums is invaluable for deepening connections and relationships. Such meetings offer important opportunities to explore where donors’ passions and interests might align with School priorities as well as demonstrating how well we are stewarding the gifts that they have already made.”

For example, earlier this year, Dean, his wife, Laurie, Adam Viers (the School’s Assistant Dean for Advancement) and Jim Miller (Senior Vice President for University Advancement), embarked on a series of visits across Florida. Dean and Laurie started in Tampa, then traveled south along the west coast of Florida before crossing alligator alley and driving up the east coast. During this road trip, they met with influential alums and supporters of the School in Naples, Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach, and West Palm Beach.

By visiting and personally thanking our donors, we acknowledge their significant contributions and share the tangible impact that their generosity has on our students, faculty, and programs. This personal touch reinforces the donor’s connection to the School and showcases the difference-making power of their gifts in action.

During their travels in Florida, Dean, Jim, and Laurie had lunch in Deerfield Beach with Enrico (Rico) and Dee Francani, who split their time between Buffalo, NY and Boca Raton, FL. Rico was awarded an honorary degree at our May 2022 commencement ceremony. His incredible business career resulted in Rico becoming one of the largest McDonald’s franchises in the country, with several dozen restaurants. Rico supports the Duquesne New Venture Challenge and he exemplifies the business acumen, entrepreneurial spirit, and success that our School of Business strives to instill in all its graduates.

Image: Left to Right: Rico Francani, Dee Francani, Dean McFarlin, Laurie McFarlin, and Jim Miller at Oceans 234, a restaurant in Deerfield Beach, Florida.

Traveling to visit successful alumni, donors and supporters is a privilege Dean is grateful for. Building broader and deeper connections to our alumni base will only help the School going forward by securing even greater financial investments and strengthening our culture of philanthropy. Indeed, more travel is on the horizon in 2024–2025 for both Dean and members of the School’s Advancement Team Adam Viers, Amanda McQuillan, and Martin Black.

2024 Summer Edition Main Page