Martires' Generous Gift to SHU Leads to Naming Honors

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Frank and Marisa Martire, who have committed $1,000,000 to the construction of the University's new academic building, will be honored with the Frank R. and Marisa Martire Forum. The new building will be located at the corner of Jefferson Street and Park Avenue and will be a new gateway to the University's Fairfield campus.

Mr. Martire is a 1969 alumnus of Sacred Heart and currently serves as vice chairman of the Board of Trustees. He is employed as chairman and CEO of FIS (Financial Information Systems) in the Jacksonville, Fla., area. In addition to his volunteer work with Sacred Heart, he serves on the board of Baptist Health Care and on the Leadership Committee of the Mayo Clinic. He and Marisa have been married for 43 years and have three children and eight grandchildren.

The amphitheater-style forum and lecture hall will be the site of lectures and programs for the University and neighboring communities. The 200-seat facility will provide reconfiguration options for classes and events of various sizes and will allow the University to organize and/or host high-level conferences and events.

"As an alumnus of Sacred Heart University, my wife Marisa and I are very proud to be involved with Sacred Heart. We look forward to playing any role we can in contributing to the advancement of the school. Our gift represents both the loyalty we have for Sacred Heart and the confidence we have in the growth and future of the University. These are very exciting times for all of us associated with Sacred Heart," Mr. Martire said.

"We are extremely grateful for Frank's dedication to his alma mater both through his contributions as a member of the University's Board of Trustees and for the generous gift that he and Marisa have made to our new academic building," said University President John J. Petillo. "This building represents our commitment to our students and their ever-changing needs. Both the John F. Welch College of business and the Department of Communication & Media Studies are growing rapidly and in need of additional space. The new building will also allow us to provide students with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment."

In addition to the Forum, the new academic building will feature an active trading floor; two large studios for television, video and film production, as well as industry-standard post-production facilities, screening venues and multimedia classrooms; a new Center of Excellence for Pedagogy – a super interactive classroom for training professors on the most up-to-date tools and processes; a two-story atrium; satellite-equipped classrooms for interaction with other University campuses; classrooms for use by the entire University; faculty offices; conference rooms and lounges for meetings between faculty and students; a café and elegant landscaping infused with walking paths and benches for informal meetings.

The Martires reside in New Canaan and Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.