The most important man at FIU you've never heard of

Does the name Herbert Wertheim ring a bell?

While some of my more FIU-spirited readers may easily recognize this as the namesake of our College of Medicine, most FIU students are completely in the dark about who this man is and what he means to FIU's history (and finances)...

In today's post, we'll get into all things "Herbie": his humble beginnings, his rise to a net worth of over $2 billion and how he became FIU's most honored donor.

PHOTO BY JAMEL TOPPIN/THE FORBES COLLECTION

Early Life

Being known for being a rather eccentric philanthropist (what with his iconic red hat), it may surprise some that Herbie's beginnings weren't so colorful...

Wertheim was born in Philadelphia in 1939 to Jewish immigrants who had escaped Nazi Germany the year before.

Herb's home life was difficult. The Wertheims eventually moved to Hollywood, Florida where Herbie lived with his family in a small apartment above his father's bakery. On top of sharing a bed with two of his brothers, Herbie was often beat by his father. Things were difficult at school as well, where Herbie was ridiculed for his dyslexia. Fleeing from the restlessness of his life at home and school, Wertheim often ran away for long periods of time, hitchhiking and working odd jobs to make ends meet.

It was only once Wertheim was apprehended for truancy that he decided to turn his life around by enlisting in the Navy where he learned how to read better, have a better work ethic, and put his intelligence to good use. It was also here that Herbie noticed the advantages the officers had over the enlisted men and decided that after his service was up, he was going to give college a try.

Medical Career and Rise to Riches

Herbert Wertheim graduated from the University of Florida for his undergraduate degree and later graduated from Southern College in Memphis for his doctorate of optometry. What followed him next was a renowned career in optical research and development, contributing much to the world of optical technology (Just for reference, Wertheim's optical r&d company Brain Power Inc. is the world's leading manufacturer of optical tints.)

Now, after essentially reaching the very top of optometry career-wise, Wertheim didn't just stop there. He added to his portfolio various investments in some familiar names: Apple, Microsoft, and Google to name a few...

Perhaps it is for this stellar career in optometry, business, and investment, that Forbes even described Herbie as "the greatest individual investor the world has never heard of".

Impact at FIU

I know what you may be thinking, "This sounds great and all, but what does this guy have to do with FIU?" Well, it turns out, quite a lot actually.

For much of the 90's and into the early 2000's, Herb served as board member at FIU and as chairman of the Academic Affairs Committee even went on to help establish FIU's College of Medicine (hence, the school has name...)

Wertheim would continue to bless FIU even after his time as a board member through his philanthropic work which according to Amanda Jones, FIU's director of Donor Relations and Stewardship, is upwards of $50 million.

Conclusion

Herbert Wertheim is certainly a once-in-a-generation sight. There are not many men that could boast such an inspiring comeback story and there are even fewer that can be as humble about it as he is. With an illustrious career in medicine, investment, and philanthropy, there is certainly more than meets the eye to this mountain of a man whose impact at FIU will surely be seen for generations to come.