Every Dollar to Newark Academy's Rise & Flourish Campaign Matched in 2017

Inspired by the hundreds of parents, alumni and friends who have supported the transformation of the Newark Academy campus through gifts to Rise & Flourish: The Campaign for Newark Academy, one NA alumnus – Anthony Petrello from the Class of 1972 – and his wife, Cynthia, have created The Petrello Matching Gift Challenge. The Petrellos will match every new gift and pledge to the Rise & Flourish campaign dollar-for-dollar throughout 2017.

Over the past six years, the Newark Academy community has come together to prepare NA for the future through a series of long-needed capital improvements and securing the school’s future financial health by growing the endowment. This generational investment in NA is completely funded through gifts to Rise & Flourish. To date, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, area foundations and others have given $27 million in gifts and pledges. These gifts have enabled Newark Academy to construct a new Upper School Academic Center (opened in 2012), renovate its outdoor athletic facilities (completed in 2014), construct a new Middle School facility (scheduled to open in Fall 2017) and create a $5 million endowment for the Newark Scholars program. The final project of the campaign will be a renovation and expansion of Rose Auditorium.

Every gift at every level has built upon the momentum, inspiring the next donor to join in this unprecedented effort. According to Head of School Don Austin, the gift made by Mr. and Mrs. Petrello is a cause for community-wide celebration. “This gift made by Tony and Cynthia Petrello not only demonstrates the generosity of our alumni, but also provides a wonderful catalyst for all members of our community to become part of this history-making effort.”

The Petrellos’ gift commitment marks the fifth gift of $1 million or more given to the Rise & Flourish campaign. NA parents Jane and Mark Wilf and the Wilf Family Foundation provided the campaign’s lead gift of $2.5 million in 2011. Others providing campaign leadership include NA parents Ruth Redmond Bloom ’80 and Billy Bloom ($1 million), alumnus Philip Kaltenbacher ’55 and the Kaltenbacher Family Foundation ($1million); and NA alumnus Brian ’65 and Sandra Maher ($1 million).

To learn how you can participate, please contact Alisa Laudicina, Senior Advancement Officer for Major Gifts at alaudicina@newarka.edu or (973) 992-7000, ext. 309. To learn more about Rise & Flourish: The Campaign for Newark Academy, visit riseandflourish.org.

About Anthony G. Petrello: Mr. Petrello is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nabors Industries, Ltd (“Nabors”). He joined the Company and was elected to the Board of Directors in 1991. Since 1991, Nabors (NYSE:NBR) has grown to be one of the world's largest oil and gas drilling contractors. It operates in over 20 countries, employing more than 16,000 employees from 70 nationalities. Nabors owns and operates the world's largest land-based drilling rig fleet and is a leading provider of offshore platform rigs in the United States and numerous international markets. Nabors also provides directional drilling services, performance tools, and innovative technologies throughout many of the world’s most significant oil and gas markets.

Prior to joining Nabors, Mr. Petrello served as a Managing Partner for Baker & McKenzie (New York office), where his practice focused on taxation, international arbitration and general corporate law.

He currently serves as a director of Stewart & Stevenson LLC and Hilcorp Energy. Mr. Petrello is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Texas Children's Hospital. Mr. Petrello, together with his wife, Cynthia Petrello, also provide fund raising and financial support as strong advocates for research and clinical programs to address the needs of children with neurological disorders, and for the performing and cultural arts at many institutions. In 2011, recognizing their philanthropic efforts, the Petrellos received the Smithsonian’s Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service.

Mr. Petrello holds a J.D. degree from Harvard Law School and B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mathematics from Yale University. He came to Newark Academy in 1968 as a ninth-grader and graduated in 1972.

About Newark Academy: Founded in 1774, Newark Academy has a rich history as an independent, coeducational school, for grades 6-12, located on a beautiful 68-acre campus in northern New Jersey. The mission of Newark Academy is to “contribute to the world engaged individuals instilled with a passion for learning, a standard of excellence, and a generosity of spirit.” For more information, visit newarka.edu.