UI Gies College of Business names new building after Danville-raised investor, alum

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois has announced that it will name its new building after alumnus and investor Steven Wymer.

Originally referred to as the South Campus Center for Interdisciplinary Learning, the building will be named Steven S. Wymer Hall, pending approval from the Board of Trustees, in recognition of a $25 million gift Wymer provided to fund the building’s construction.

“I am ecstatic to have such generous support from Steve and all the alumni and friends who have helped make this important project possible,” said Dean Jeffrey Brown. “Steve has supported our college for several years in ways that directly align with our purpose of shaping purposeful leaders through life-changing access to education, research, and innovation. He sees the impact we are making in the lives of learners around the world, and his willingness to generously invest in the future of learning speaks volumes about his love for this College and his passion for our students, faculty, and staff.”

Wymer grew up in Danville and graduated from Gies with an accounting degree in 1985. He currently lives in Boston with his family and serves as the manager of Fidelity Investments’ Growth Company Fund. One of the leading experts in investment management, Wymer received Morningstar’s 2017 Domestic Stock Fund Manager of the Year Award.

“This gift is a continued return on investment to Gies from the partial academic scholarship I received as a student,” Wymer said. “The building modernizes the College’s infrastructure to help pursue its evolving approach to in-person, hybrid, and online education and research. The goal is to create an environment where students, faculty, and staff can do their best work.”

Steven S. Wymer Hall is a partnership between Gies and the university to serve both in-person and online learners in both Gies and other colleges. The four-story building will have almost 100,000 square feet containing a 200-seat auditorium, two 80-seat classrooms, four 60-seat classrooms and 18 meeting and collaborative rooms to accommodate in-person learning. For online learning, the building will have two sound stages, five studios and six control booths.

Construction of Steven S. Wymer Hall, located on Greogry Drive between the Business Instructional Facility and Huff Hall, will begin on April 14. Construction is planned to be complete by December of 2024.

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