Arthur J. Samberg '67 and Mario J. Gabelli '67, members of Columbia Business School’s Board of Overseers, have pledged $25 million and $15 million, respectively, toward the School’s new Manhattanville facilities. In explaining their gifts, both expressed a strong desire to provide others with the same educational opportunities they had. Long avid supporters of the Business School, they see the School’s new home as integral to its continued success in this area.

The new buildings, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro and FXFowle Architects, will reflect the fast-paced, high-tech, and highly social character of business in the 21st century. The facilities will encompass more than 450,000 square feet and will offer multifunctional spaces that foster a sense of community — spaces where students, faculty members, alumni, and practitioners can gather to exchange ideas.

"I had the good fortune to attend a number of elite schools, but many people don’t have the advantages I had," Samberg said. "In supporting Columbia Business School, I’m helping others, who didn’t grow up in the same environment, get a chance to advance."

In explaining his donation, Gabelli expressed a similar desire to provide opportunity. "My parents did not have a formal education," he said, "but in this country, I had the opportunity to progress through a great education. And in order to provide that type of education, schools need great facilities. Columbia Business School is at a critical point in moving to Manhattanville, and I figured I’d help as much as I could to push it over the goal line."

Dean Glenn Hubbard expressed his gratitude for the support. "Art and Mario have long been leaders in the School community, providing the resources and expertise that make Columbia a top-tier, global institution," Hubbard said. "Their commitment and generosity will help enable us to expand into Manhattanville, with facilities befitting our status as a leading business educator."

Gabelli, who is a sponsor of the School’s Center on Global Brand Leadership and who has endowed a finance professorship, is chairman and chief executive officer of GAMCO Investors Inc. He and the firm’s team of research analysts identify stocks based on his proprietary Private Market Value (PMV) with a Catalyst methodology that is now an analytical standard. Gabelli is also chairman of LICT Corporation, and he is a member of the Economic Club of New York.

Samberg, who is the manager of Hawkes Financial Services LLC and a member of Acadia Woods Partners LLC, is the founding sponsor of the School’s Samberg Institute for Teaching Excellence. He is also a member of the board and executive committee of Tri Alpha Energy Inc., and chairman of the board of JetSuite LLC. He serves on the board of trustees and the executive and investment committees of New York-Presbyterian Hospital and on the board of directors of Historic Hudson Valley and Jazz at Lincoln Center, among others. He is also chairman emeritus of the Jacob Burns Film Center.