Honoring a lifetime of meaningful relationships

Siegfried Hall and the Siegfried Institute for Leadership and Free Enterprise

On behalf of our CEO and Founder, Rob Siegfried, and his wife, Kathy, The Siegfried Group, LLP (Siegfried) is pleased to share additional details on their recent transformative gift of $71.5 million to their alma mater, the University of Delaware (UD).

This significant, history-making contribution will fund the creation of Siegfried Hall, an impressive, state-of-the-art, student-centric learning space that will maximize experiential learning and collaborative programming. It will also establish the Siegfried Institute for Leadership and Free Enterprise, an idea lab that will research and teach the capabilities and characteristics of effective leadership and explore the vital role that the basic principles of limited federal government, rule of law, and free enterprise play in supporting individual freedoms and developing effective individual leadership.

The gift is an extraordinary reflection of Rob and Kathy’s deep gratitude for UD and their desire to honor and acknowledge the meaningful relationships they have developed over the years with the University and its professors, leaders, advisors, and faculty.

“The people we met and the experiences we had at the University of Delaware were transformative to us then and are still making a difference to us now,” Rob reflected. “My professors and advisors believed in me – and all these years later, it is so emotionally gratifying for Kathy and me to contribute to UD in this way and acknowledge them for the impact they had on us without even knowing it.”

A journey built on relationships, mentorship, and gratitude

The story behind Rob and Kathy’s gift is deeply personal.

“Looking back, I can see that my time at UD shaped who I am today,” Rob shared. “It wasn’t just the education; it was the mentors who believed in me and challenged me. Professors like Araya Debessay, who impressed me in so many ways — a man of great character and care; Dale Buckmaster, who made Intermediate Accounting fun and entertaining with his mid-western humor; and Dr. Gillespie, who may have loved basketball as much as teaching accounting, who all taught me valuable lessons that extended far beyond the classroom.”

Rob also recalls his experience with Saul Hoffman, his professor in Intermediate Economics, who was one of the first to see potential in Rob that he hadn't yet recognized in himself. “Saul was a man of great passion, and his encouragement led me to pursue Economics as my degree,” Rob reflects. “From there, I was fortunate to meet so many other wonderful economic professors: Jim Thornton, Harry Hutchinson, Ken Lewis, Richard Agnello, and Bert Levin. These relationships reshaped my academic path, but the real turning point came when I decided to gain real-life work experience before pursuing a PhD in Economics, thanks to the advice of my sister.”

This decision ultimately led Rob to meet Dr. Bill Markell, his Accounting Advisor, who supported him in navigating an intense senior year. “With Bill’s guidance, I took five accounting courses in my last semester and another during my last summer session,” Rob recalls. It was during this time that he crossed paths with Les Chadwick and Bob Paretta, professors who would become crucial mentors and guides as Rob prepared to start his career.

Les became a close personal friend to Rob, often calling and asking how things were going in his life and, later, with his business. “I was just so struck by how caring he was,” says Rob. “In 1998, Les nominated me for the Lerner College Alumni Award of Excellence. During the application process, Araya called to share with me that Les had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.” Les sadly passed away in November that year, leaving behind a legacy as a deeply caring and immensely impactful individual. With Araya and Bob’s support, Rob received the Alumni Award of Excellence the following year, and in 2002, he was inducted into the Alumni Wall of Fame. “There are no coincidences in life,” Rob reflects with emotion. “And I’m sure my angel, Les, was watching over me and helped make all of that possible.”

The Siegfrieds’ partnership with UD has deepened over time. Rob and Kathy have built a rich history with the university and formed strong personal connections with new UD leadership, faculty and mentors, such as Dennis and Eleni Assanis, Charlie Horn, Bruce Weber, Carlos Asarta, and Dan Freeman, who continue to impact their lives and inspire transformation in so many others. Rob’s journey took him from a first-generation college student to a leader in business, and throughout it all, his connection to UD remained steadfast.

“I owe much of what I’ve accomplished in my career to my time at UD and the people who believed in me,” Rob said. “The relationships I built with my professors were not just academic; they were personal, and they guided me long after I left campus. These people became angels to me, and it’s those relationships that shaped The Siegfried Group and continue to play a role in our success today.”

The Siegfried Institute for Leadership and Free Enterprise at Lerner College

Rob and Kathy’s gift will benefit UD’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, a business school that the couple believes is making a tremendous, yet under-appreciated, impact on the university, its students, its alumni, and the marketplace.

“It’s humbling for us to be able to make this investment in leadership, in free enterprise, and in the next generation of business leaders," shared Rob. "We want to leave a legacy that continues to support and nurture the values that made this country great: hard work, individual responsibility, and the freedom to thrive.”

The Siegfried Institute, which will be housed at Siegfried Hall, will serve as a dynamic hub for learning and leadership development. “In contrast to others’ focus on big government and empowering the government, the Siegfried Institute will focus on limited government and empowering the individual,” Rob shares. “I envision a series of lively debates between the two schools of thought. The key question revolves around who has primary responsibility for one’s life — is it the individual or the government? When responsibility shifts toward the government, then authority and resources must also shift away from the individual and toward the government, which reduces an environment for individual freedom, and reduces one’s ability to be able to have the freedom to lead their own life.” Clearly, Rob’s beliefs align with our country’s foundational principles such that primary responsibility needs to reside with the individual and not with the government in the name of individual liberty.

Additionally, the Siegfried Institute will provide students and professionals with the knowledge and tools to become effective leaders, equipped to navigate the complexities of today’s global economy. It will promote a deep understanding of the principles that make free enterprise thrive, preparing students to become leaders who will make a positive impact on their communities, their industries, and the world.

The mission of the Siegfried Institute is to research and teach the capabilities and characteristics of effective Leadership, while further studying the critical role that the basic principles of Limited Government, Rule of Law, and Free Enterprise play in supporting Individual Freedom and developing effective Individual Leadership. These basic principles are pivotal to conservative economics and align with the foundational values of the United States. Through its focus on the US Constitutional framework, the Siegfried Institute will further seek to enrich the lives of individuals, their families, and their communities, as well as benefit our national interest.

Conservative economics, exemplified by the work of 18th-century economist Adam Smith, and Nobel prize winners Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman, embrace free-market capitalism and challenge the Keynesian school of thought, which supports stronger government involvement in the economy. Within the continuum of economic theory, the Siegfried Institute will explore how the governmental environment, including regulations and taxes, affects individual freedom, authority, responsibility, and motivation.

The Siegfried Institute will facilitate dialogue between different schools of thought and contribute to scholarly and public discourse on economic policies, while at the same time providing a forum for business leaders, academics, and others interested in these topics. Examples of activities for serving this mission include annual conference/symposia, invited lecture series, periodic webinars, scholarly publications and white papers, fellowships, and workshops. Such engagement will make the Siegfried Institute a producer of visionary leaders and both a national and an international thought leader in Leadership and economic policies that best support and drive effective Leadership and Free Enterprise.

An enduring commitment

The investment from the Siegfrieds is not just a one-time donation, but an enduring commitment to the business students of tomorrow. “Rob and Kathy’s gift will transform the lives of those who will be transforming the world,” said Dennis Assanis, UD’s president, in a University statement. “Their transformative contribution will be in perpetuity, ensuring that Siegfried Hall and the Siegfried Institute continue to inspire, educate, and shape leaders for years to come.”

“We want to create something that will grow and impact lives,” says Kathy. “This is a gift that will support generations of students, helping them to thrive in an environment that nurtures leadership and innovation, while best supporting individual freedom. Our hope is that the Siegfried Institute will become a catalyst for positive change, impacting not just UD, but our broader community and our country.”