1976 graduate
was Union basketball student-athlete
Schenectady,
N.Y. (July 1, 2003) – The Viniar
Family Foundation has made a grant of $2 million to build a multi-use sports
facility that will become home to Union College's men's and women's basketball
teams. The Foundation grant follows a personal gift of $1.2 million made
earlier by David Viniar, which will also be used for this purpose.
“Through
the generosity of David Viniar and his family, Union College will have a
facility, long overdue, that will be commensurate with the level of our men's
and women's basketball programs,” said Roger Hull, President of Union College.
“We are grateful that David chose to honor his own experiences as an
exceptional student-athlete this way.”
Mr.
Viniar graduated summa cum laude from
Union College in 1976 and earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics. He was a member of
Union's winning varsity basketball team, which in 1974-75 compiled
a 20-4 record and an ECAC Upstate New York title. He serves today as a member
of the Board of Trustees of the College.
After Union, Mr. Viniar went on to graduate school at Harvard University, where he received his Master's in Business Administration in 1980.
Upon graduation, David joined the investment banking firm of Goldman Sachs
& Co., where he became a partner in 1992 and Chief Financial Officer in
1999.
An active alumnus, he has volunteered with the Career Development Center, served as an admissions representative, and
participated as a member of Friends of Union Athletics. In 1997, he established
the Leo and Evelyn Viniar Scholarship at Union in honor of his parents.
“David Viniar understands the importance of athletics in
a young person's education,” said Bob Montana, coach of men's basketball. “He
is one of the finest examples of a student-athlete.”
Mary Ellen Burt, head coach of women's basketball said,
“Through the Viniar family's support, we will have a facility that will raise
the visibility of women's basketball at Union and provide an important tool in our efforts to recruit new talent.”
The multi-use building will include two basketball
practice courts and one performance court with spectator seating for 1,000. It
will be located southeast of Memorial Field House, with connections to the
field house's locker rooms and equipment facilities. The new facility will be
used for practices, games, and intramurals. It will relieve congestion in
Memorial Field House, the practice site for a number of winter and spring
teams.
Construction of the facility should begin this fall, with
completion by the fall of 2004.