Philanthropist of the Year
Penn State has awarded a Philanthropist of the Year Award since 2002.
Philanthropist of the Year Award
The Philanthropist of the Year Award, established in 2002, is intended to recognize an individual or family who has demonstrated exceptional generosity in the promotion and support of The Pennsylvania State University. The recipients of this award, through their philanthropy and service, have helped shape the University's future and improve the quality of life for the student body, faculty, and staff.
2006 Philanthropist of the Year
J. David Rogers '78, '80g and Patricia Maloney Rogers '79 are strong supporters of Penn State. Since 1998, they have supported several important initiatives within the Smeal College of Business including a fellowship to support exemplary students attending the Smeal MBA Program and construction of the new business building. But Dave says their gift that helped launch the Smeal College Trading Room, where students gain direct experience in financial markets, is most satisfying. "I knew that other schools had trading rooms--though not many had them--and I thought how it would have helped me when I was in school," he says. "It's very gratifying to me that students really enjoy it and that I've been involved with it."
In the mid 1970s, Dave Rogers and Patricia Maloney arrived on campus from opposite ends of Pennsylvania. Dave's family had settled near Allentown after his father retired from the Air Force. Before that, "Our family lived everywhere, even in Libya for three years," Dave says. "When it came time for college, I wanted a big school and Penn State was the natural place." Tricia, who grew up near Pittsburgh, says, "Everyone else in my family had gone to Pitt, so I was ready to start a Penn State tradition." Just her second day on campus, Tricia met Dave, then a sophomore, on a softball field when their dorm floors combined forces for a game. More than 30 years later, they feel fortunate to be in a position to help their alma mater.
After graduating with an M.B.A. from Penn State, Dave Rogers started as a financial analyst with Mobil Oil in Scarsdale, N.Y. After two years with Mobil, he became a trader and analyst with Goldman Sachs in 1982. He took on increasingly challenging assignments, including three years in Japan where he set up Goldman Sachs' equity derivatives business, established a yen convertible bond department, and contributed to building the equity department in Tokyo.
The Rogers family returned to the United States in 1992, and Dave was promoted to co-head of Goldman Sachs' Equity Derivatives Department. He also made partner in the firm the same year. He left in 2001 to establish his own hedge fund, JD Capital Management. His brother Stephen, a 1986 Penn State finance graduate joined, as well. The fund, which serves more than 40 primarily institutional investors, now has 23 employees and $1.3 billion under management. Dave Rogers serves on the Smeal Board of Visitors, as a member of the Penn State Investment Council, and on the board of directors for the Nittany Lion Fund, an investment portfolio managed by students.
After earning a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering in 1979, Tricia Rogers first worked for PPG Industries and then in package engineering for Clairol, Inc. After earning an M.B.A. from the University of Connecticut, she continued with Clairol as their new products coordinator. Since leaving that job in 1985, she has devoted her time to raising their two children and volunteering for several non-profit organizations. Tricia currently serves on the allocations committee for the Darien United Way and works with Person-to-Person, a community agency providing a wide range of human services to more than 15,000 people in the greater Stamford area.
Penn State has previously honored Dave Rogers with the MBA Distinguished Achievement Award in 1995. Both life members of the Penn State Alumni Association, the Rogers live in Darien, Connecticut. They have two children: Matt, a senior in finance at Penn State, and Natalie, a sophomore in the College of Communications at Penn State.
