Stephen J. and Jennifer L. Czech of New Canaan have given $1 million to The University of Chicago Booth School of Business to fund scholarships for retired U.S. Navy SEALs enrolled at the school.
This gift is one of the two largest gifts dedicated to funding scholarships for U.S. veterans in Chicago Booth’s history.
The Czechs said they made the donation because “The U.S. Navy SEALs and their families sacrifice everything, every minute of every day they serve. This gift is a small token of our appreciation for the service and sacrifice of these great warriors and their families as well as all members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. This gift will enable veterans who served with the greatest fighting force the world has ever seen to attend the greatest business school in the world,” according to a press release.
“We are very grateful to Steve and Jennifer for their commitment to our military veterans by helping former Navy SEALs pursue a Chicago Booth MBA,” said Madhav Rajan, dean of Chicago Booth. “Through their experience, veterans bring an increased diversity and maturity to the classroom. The Czechs’ generous contribution will help ease the financial burden of former Navy SEALs.”
“This incredibly generous gift from Steve and Jennifer Czech paves the way for our SEAL veterans to receive a best-in-class post-graduate education from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business,” said Robin King, CEO of The Navy SEAL Foundation. “When I think about the true value of this scholarship, I am just so grateful to Steve and Jennifer. Their investment in education for SEALs who have devoted their lives to service will pay dividends for these worthy scholarship recipients, their families and their communities now and well into the future. The Czechs’ support of our warriors is extraordinary, and we are so appreciative of all that they do to advance our mission of service at The Navy SEAL Foundation.”
Steve Czech has more than 29 years of credit and corporate finance experience, as well as a long record of establishing and running direct lending credit funds. His experience includes sourcing, structuring, underwriting, monitoring and restructuring corporate loans.
Prior to forming Czech Asset Management, L.P., he was employed by several firms, including Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse Group AG, Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (“DLJ”) and Banc of America Securities LLC.
Czech and his family are significant donors to, and advocates of, causes related to terminally-ill children; active-duty and retired Navy SEALs and their families; first-responders such as police, firefighters and EMTs;; and scholarships for underprivileged high school students throughout the United States.
Czech is the founder and co-chairman of The Mikey Czech Foundation, a member of The Navy SEAL Foundation National Leadership Council, a member of the Advisory Board of The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a laureate member of the Dean’s Society of The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a member of Villanova University’s President’s Club & Parents Executive Committee, a member of the Aesclepian Society of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and a member of the Dana-Farber Presidential Visiting Committee for Pediatric Oncology. He received a bachelor’s degree from Marquette University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Czech Asset Management, L.P., with approximately $4.3 billion of capital under management since inception, is a Greenwich-based direct lending investment advisory firm engaged in providing privately negotiated, asset-based and cash-flow first and second lien secured floating rate senior secured loans primarily to U.S. middle market companies.
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