Jeff Thomasson’s $100M gift to Indiana University

In a generous act of philanthropy, Jeff Thomasson, the CEO and Managing Director of Oxford Financial Group, has donated $100 million to Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. This significant gift, the largest single donation ever made to Indiana University, will bolster graduate education at the Kelley School and support the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Thomasson, who began his career at the school, where he earned his MBA, has returned to give back to the institution that played a pivotal role in his success. He founded Oxford Financial Group in 1981, a wealth management firm that grew from a startup with $20,000 in graduate-school debt to managing over $38 billion in assets today.

Thomasson's journey to this philanthropic milestone was marked by hard work and determination. After receiving his MBA from Indiana University, he built Oxford Financial Group through cold calling, making around 1,000 meetings annually and working six days a week. His business model eventually shifted to a fee-only approach.

The Thomassons' donation of $100 million to Indiana University is part of their overall giving, which totals more than $111 million to the university. This generous contribution comes at a time when higher education philanthropy is at record levels, despite a decline in public confidence in colleges and universities.