A bequest to Marist College by one of the 20th century”™s leading businessmen and industrialists, Raymond Rich, and conservatively estimated at $75 million, will lead to the development of a new program to educate and train individuals in the art of leadership for careers in business, government, and the nonprofit sector. It is the largest bequest in the college”™s history.
Rich originally bought a 60 acre riverfront estate in the Ulster county town of Esopus from the Marist Brothers. It will be home to the program and contains one of the most historically and architecturally significant homes in the Hudson River Valley: The “Payne Mansion,” also known over the years as “Omega” and “Wiltwick,” is a42,000-square-foot Beaux Arts-style palazzo designed by the famed Manhattan firm of Carrère and Hastings, architects of the New York Public Library and the Frick Museum.
In addition, Mr. Rich has designated approximately $10 million for an endowment to support the new institute.
The new Raymond A. Rich Institute will focus on developing the communication, interpersonal, and social skills necessary to lead complex organizations in a global setting. It will accomplish this in a framework that emphasizes
the values and integrity found in successful leaders. Speakers, conferences and workshops will encourage potential leaders to become better at motivating others through consideration and persuasion as well as foster dedication to a better social and economic environment.
