Major donors to Yulman Stadium

Janet and Richard Yulman

Janet and Richard Yulman"s exceptional gift to name Yulman Stadium is helping the university launch a new era for our athletics program and the community as a whole. Richard Yulman is the former chairman and owner of mattress manufacturing giant Serta International. He has been a member of the Board of Tulane since 2005. The Yulmans" daughter, Katy, graduated cum laude from Newcomb College in 2005.

Well-known for his philanthropic activities, Richard serves as chairman of the Greater Miami Jewish Foundation and Philanthropic Fund and vice president of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. In 1988, Richard and his wife, Janet, sponsored 96 elementary school students as part of the “I Have a Dream” program in Albany, N.Y., pledging to pay for the students" college tuition once they earn their high school diplomas. Richard is also a mentor for a Miami-Dade public elementary school as part of Partnership to Advance School Success, Florida"s plan to increase student achievement statewide.

Richard Yulman"s service, enthusiasm and vision on the Board of Tulane has elevated Tulane athletics time and again, and now he has the gratitude of an entire city for committing to the uptown rebirth of the green and blue.

The Gayle and Tom Benson Charitable Foundation

If there"s one man who knows the value of a football team to a community, it"s Tom Benson. In 1985, the automobile dealer and bank investor bought the New Orleans Saints to prevent the team from moving to Jacksonville, Fla. The new owner"s colorful personality shook up the NFL, and his devotion to the team expressed itself after every win with the beloved “Benson Boogie.” In 2010, after 25 years of his leadership, the Saints" first-ever Super Bowl victory became a symbol of the city"s rebirth after Hurricane Katrina. In 2012, Tom rescued another local sports franchise by purchasing the New Orleans Hornets, ensuring professional basketball a permanent home in the Crescent City.

Tom"s support for philanthropic efforts is well-known throughout the New Orleans area and includes the Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center at Ochsner; the Benson Jesuit Center at Loyola University; the Tom Benson Free Enterprise Library at Brother Martin High School; endowed chairs at Loyola University; Benson Hoops, a community-wide midnight basketball league; the Jim Finks Chair for Health Promotion at LSU Health Sciences Center; the University of New Orleans"s Maestri Field Capital Campaign and many more.

Now, the Gayle and Tom Benson Charitable Foundation is providing a naming gift to bring Green Wave football back home to Tulane"s uptown campus. The new Benson Field will inspire and unite the university community in the same way the Saints" Super Bowl win did.

Jill and Avie Glazer

From Tulane Empowers to Tulane Stadium, the generosity of Jill and Avie Glazer has driven nearly every major campaign undertaken by the university in recent history. Thanks to their vision and incredible leadership, the Jill H. and Avram A. Glazer Family Club will be the premier place for Tulane"s most dedicated fans to enjoy events at the new on-campus stadium.

Jill Henkin Glazer graduated from Tulane University in 1985 with a bachelor"s degree in sociology. Avie Glazer, a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and the Washington College of Law at American University, is the former chairman of the Zapata Corporation founded by former President George H.W. Bush, co-chairman of the 19-time English soccer champion Manchester United, and an owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Jill has served on the Board of Tulane since 2009 and is a past member of the Tulane President"s Council. Since 2009, Jill has chaired the Helluva Hullabaloo Auction that benefits Tulane student-athletes. Her leadership, vision, tireless energy and creativity continue to make the event one of today"s most successful fundraisers. In addition, the Glazers founded the Jill H. and Avram A. Glazer Professor of Social Entrepreneurship and the Judith and Morris Henkin Memorial Scholarship Program. Jill"s tireless efforts on behalf of the university were recognized in 2010 when she was given the Tulane Alumni Volunteer Award. Among the projects that the Glazers have supported are the post-Katrina donation of trees that grace the Gibson and Monroe quads and Gibson Circle, the wonderful Newcomb Pottery Garden, and the Glazer Gardens and Bocce Court, in memory of Jill"s parents, Judith and Morris Henkin.

In addition to their efforts on behalf of Tulane, Jill and Avie also support numerous causes including the Cleveland Clinic, the Palm Beach Day Academy and the Glazer Children"s Museum in Tampa, Fla.