Campaign Update: A transformative gift from alumni brothers

TRANSFORMING THE BUSINESS OF HEALTH CARE

Alumni brothers Chris and Greg Smith invest $5M in health care at Bentley

When Chris and Greg Smith first learned about a burgeoning effort in Bentley’s business education they were intrigued; health care is a personal — and professional — interest for them. It’s an industry, they say, that’s headed for a very necessary disruption. And these lifelong entrepreneurs are excited to help guide that change, for the better.

“The health care space is in a transformative period, and that transition is creating a lot of silos, inefficiencies and dislocation,” says Chris ’91, MBA ’92, P ’19/’20 ’24 (below right). Now is the time, he adds, to be progressive and innovative. AI and data analytics. Organizational design and finance. Says Greg ’91: “Everything is rapidly changing. There is a crossover between health care and technology that was accelerated by the pandemic and it’s going to explode. Only a handful of institutions have been keeping up, and Bentley is one of them.”

President Brent Chrite’s commitment to addressing real, human needs through smart business and Bentley’s Health Thought Leadership Network (Health TLN) have inspired the Smiths to take a closer look at how the university can bring even more expertise to bear on this vital field that affects us all.

By Kristin Livingston

A solid, renowned business education is a given at Bentley. But what some may not know is that, since 2016, the Health TLN has been a nexus for health care research and education across campus — with dozens of faculty and staff leading international collaborations, numerous NIH- and NSF-funded projects, hundreds of publications, internships, a pilot course and more.

“We’ve made huge strides,” confirms Associate Professor Danielle Blanch Hartigan, who leads the Health TLN. “But with the Smiths’ support we can do so much more: preparing today’s students to be the entrepreneurs and thought leaders who’ll guide the health care system into a new realm that can have a maximum benefit for society.”

Inspired by the Health TLN’s critical and timely initiative, Chris and Greg have made a gift of $5 million to the university to help grow and transform the business of health care education; give new graduates and researchers a head start in this exciting space; and make Bentley a household name in the industry. With this extraordinary investment — one of the largest by a living donor in the university’s history — they join Bentley’s Great Benefactors, generous donors who've committed $1 million or more to the future of the institution.

“Chris and Greg’s generosity is a bold bet on Bentley — one that I know will have a strong ROI for the university, our communities and the greater health care business landscape,” says Chrite. “With this incredible investment, Bentley has the backing to further the Health TLN’s impressive work, to create a robust and scalable platform that will be a force for innovation and impact with renowned health care organizations in Boston, and beyond.”

Growing up in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, the Smiths knew snow. But while other kids raced to sled after a storm, Chris and Greg grabbed their shovels and hit every driveway on the block. Entrepreneurship, and drive, are in their DNA.

“Try and fail. Try and fail. Try and fail,” says Greg. “Great ideas don’t always work, but with my Bentley degree as this foundation, I had these building blocks to keep trying until I was successful.”

Chris agrees and says his sons, Chase ’19, MBA ’20 and Trevor ’24 didn’t come to Bentley just because of Dad. “It was because we knew how well this school worked for me,” says Chris, “and they would have that same foundation to start their lives.”

Giving back and creating a generational legacy means that much more, says Greg. “This is our way of making a transformative gift that we could be a part of, to help Bentley, our industry and anyone who is facing the challenges of the health care system.”

Compassion is a natural underpinning of their businesses and they have been focused on serving communities for over 25 years. Chris founded and served as CEO of multiple private equity real estate companies, he co-founded Maplewood Healthcare, and owned and operated more than 10 hotels. Maplewood Healthcare has evolved into a health care real estate platform and had a name change to Aspect Health in 2020. Greg moved from finance to real estate, and a particular property he acquired in 2004 ignited a passion that would come to serve countless families, including his own. He is the president and CEO of the Maplewood and Inspı¯r senior living brands.

As successful alumni, Chris says, they have a social responsibility to make a difference, no matter the amount. “What we’re doing isn’t just a monetary gift. It's a commitment of our time and resources to help move this program over the goal line, to be a part of the fabric of the university. To step back, look at the next generation and think: How do I make an impact?

“It’s going to be fun, and a lot of work.”

There is a crossover between health care and technology that was accelerated by the pandemic and it’s going to explode. Only a handful of institutions have been keeping up, and Bentley is one of them.

GREG SMITH ’91