Florida State University’s new Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship now has a location, courtesy of lobbyist Brian Ballard and his wife, Kathryn Ballard, a member of FSU’s Board of Trustees.
The Ballard’s are donating 111 S. Monroe Street to FSU to house the new school. The property, worth $1.1 million, is the former Guaranty National Bank located downtown. It will also house the Jim Moran Institute for Global Leadership.
Both schools were created through donations from Jim Moran, a billionaire car dealer and philanthropist. His foundation has given about $109 million to FSU with the most recent gift of $100 million pledged to start the new entrepreneurship school.
It was the largest gift given to FSU and it ties with the University of Miami for the largest gift given to a Florida university.
The new location gives FSU more visibility downtown.
“Because of the Ballards’ incredible generosity, the university is able to establish its presence in a highly prominent location in the heart of Tallahassee,” said Kevin Graham, executive director of the FSU Real Estate Foundation.
“The Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship will create the first impression many people have of the academic programming at FSU.”
The Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship is scheduled to officially launch in August 2018.
