Greenwich Couple Gives Iona College $15M Gift For Entrepreneurship Institute

GREENWICH, CT — A gift of $15 million to Iona College from a Connecticut couple will allow the school to launch the Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

The donation comes from Jim and Ann Marie Hynes of Greenwich, CT.

They now become the largest lifetime donors to the college, according to a spokesman.

Jim Hynes graduated from Iona College, which is in New Rochelle, NY in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree. He also holds an honorary doctorate from the college.

Hynes has served on the board of trustees since 1995 and as chairman since 2008.

He co-founded and was the first CEO of Inteliquent, a provider of interconnection services in the U.S.

Ann Marie Hynes most recently has functioned as a pro bono attorney with the Pace Women’s Justice Center in White Plains, NY.

The institute will establish an interdisciplinary curricular focus for students in any major, create new majors and minors in entrepreneurship and appoint new endowed faculty fellows.

A goal is to ensure students develop the knowledge, skills and experience required to create, innovate and lead in a global economy, college officials said.

Jim Hynes, for whom the Hynes Athletic Center was dedicated in 2006, said he and his wife wanted to do something for Iona that would have lasting benefits for all students.

“We are underwriting academic innovation and transformation,” he said. “We believe the entrepreneurial mindset is not only necessary in starting businesses, but it is invaluable in any career or vocation.”

Iona College President Joseph E. Nyre said the institute will fortify the college’s future while preparing students to be the next generation of big thinkers and global leaders.

“At Iona, we understand how important it is to prepare students for careers that were once unimaginable or don’t yet even exist,” he said. “The Hynes Institute will ensure that our students are not only receiving the education they’ll need to be leaders among their peers in this country, but throughout the world.”

Photo caption: Jim and Ann Marie Hynes. Photo credit: Iona College.