A South Florida car dealer has donated a whopping $5 million to St. Thomas University's business school.
Gus Machado made the donation to the Miami Gardens school, the single largest gift to the university. He'll get his name on the Gus Machado School of Business at the university as a result.
“Thanks to his generous gift, the new Gus Machado School of Business at St. Thomas University will empower our business students to meet business challenges with free market solutions and excel as ethical leaders in the global marketplace," St. Thomas President Rev. Msgr. Franklyn M. Casale said. “Gus Machado is a name well respected in our community. His generosity will allow our institution to offer a first-class business education in a first-class, values-based, multipurpose environment.”
Machado is a former member of St. Thomas University’s Board of Trustees. Born in Cuba, Machado came to the United States in 1949. He owned a series of car dealerships until he acquired his first franchise in 1982, Gus Machado Buick. Today, he is President of Gus Machado Ford.
“Supporting our future business leaders means the world to me,” said Machado. “Being able to make that happen at St. Thomas University – a University that has a reputation for providing an excellent educational experience and developing the next generation of ethical business leaders – is an opportunity I am very pleased to be a part of."
