Dr. William T. Hold Becomes Million Dollar Donor To FSU Football

By ERIC CARR

TEXAS-BASED INSURANCE ICON MAKES LEADERSHIP GIFT TO RENAISSANCE CAMPAIGN

Seminole Boosters, Inc. and the Florida State University Athletics Department have received a $1 million commitment from Dr. William T. Hold of Austin, Texas, in support of Seminole football. Dr. Hold joins a prominent group of major-gift donors leading the way in recent months as part of FSU’s Renaissance Campaign. The Renaissance Campaign is a focused effort to receive gifts in support of a championship future for the football program.

Dr. Hold is co-founder of The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research – America’s leading professional insurance and risk management education research organization. Founded in Austin in 1969 with an original staff of three people, The National Alliance began with Dr. Hold and his team developing Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) Program institutes to teach advanced insurance topics to independent agents in Texas. The demand for CIC participation surged nationwide over the next 50 years. It thrives today as it draws from the vast intellectual resources represented by insurance agents and faculty, continually providing the best insurance and risk management education available.

In 2012, Florida State’s College of Business named its risk management and insurance program, which has been ranked the best in the nation, the Dr. William T. Hold/The National Alliance Program in Risk Management and Insurance. Dr. Hold is a 1963 graduate of FSU College of Business, an inductee of the FSU College of Business Hall of Fame, and currently serves on the finance committee for the FSU Foundation Board of Trustees. He and The National Alliance previously made a $5 million donation to the risk management program at FSU.

“When President Thrasher called and talked with me about playing a leadership role in helping bring Florida State football back among the nation’s elite, I knew I wanted to make it happen,” said Dr. Hold. “Obviously, my first passion regarding FSU is and will always be the Dr. William T. Hold/ The National Alliance Program in Risk Management, but I do love our football program, and I have enjoyed getting to know Coach Norvell. He is a special man, and I praise my good friend President Thrasher and Athletics Director David Coburn for making him our Head Football Coach.”

“I had known Dr. Hold prior to moving to my current role in athletics, and I have always admired his love for FSU,” Athletics Director David Coburn said. “I have tremendous respect for his support and leadership of the FSU Foundation and the College of Business. Understanding where his heart is and how much those very important components of our University mean to him makes this new gift even more special. We truly appreciate Dr. Hold being a leader for FSU football during this exciting time.”