Albert Nicholas (CEO)
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Albert O. Nicholas
| image =
| birth_date ={{Birth date|1931|01|24}}
| birth_place = Rockford, Illinois, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|08|04|1931|01|24}}
| death_place = Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
| education = University of Wisconsin–Madison {{small|(B.A., M.B.A.)}}
| occupation = CEO
businessman
chartered financial analyst
| employer = Nicholas Company, Inc.
| known_for = All-American guard for the Wisconsin Badgers (1949–1952)
| spouse =
}}
Albert O. "Ab" Nicholas (January 24, 1931 – August 4, 2016) was the chairman, CEO, and portfolio manager of Nicholas Company, Inc. founded in 1967[http://www.nicholasfunds.com/invest_team.html# Nicholas Investment Team] and based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In April 2010, he was one of four inducted into the Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame.[http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2010/04/19/daily75.html Four inducted into Wis. Business Hall of Fame – Milwaukee – Milwaukee Business Journal] According to Bloomberg Markets in 2015, "The Nicholas Fund, which he has run since 1969, has topped the Standard & Poor's 500 Index by an average of 2 percentage points a year for the past 40 years and [beat] it every year since 2008 [through 2014].[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-18/fund-manager-ab-nicholas-has-been-beating-s-p-500-for-40-years Fund Manager Ab Nicholas Has Been Beating S&P 500 for 40 Years – Bloomberg]{{Cite web|url=http://www.mutualfundobserver.com/discuss/discussion/8939/nseix|title=NSEIX|access-date=5 August 2016}}
Education
Born on January 24, 1931, in Rockford, Illinois,[https://abnicholasscholars.org/about/ About – AB NICHOLAS SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION] Nicholas earned a Bachelor's in Economics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and played guard for the Badgers men's basketball team. He spent two years in the military prior to returning for an M.B.A. in Finance and Investments.
Early career
Affiliations
Charitable work
In March 2015, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee announced "that it has received a $2 million donation from longtime donor and trustee Albert "Ab" Nicholas to fund and develop a recreational basketball league within its clubs."[http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2015/03/19/ab-nicholas-makes-2m-gift-to-boys-girls-clubs-for.html Ab Nicholas makes $2M gift to Boys & Girls Clubs for youth basketball league – Milwaukee – Milwaukee Business Journal] Together with his brothers, William and Daniel, he donated $2,150,000 in 2006 toward a conservatory project in his hometown, Rockford, Ill. The project is now named the Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, in honor of their parents, William and Ruby Nicholas.[https://nicholasconservatory.com/history Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens - History]
He also made significant contributions to the Milwaukee War Memorial Center[http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2014/12/30/milwaukee-war-memorial-center-raises-800-000-for.html War Memorial Center raises $800,000 for veterans courtyard project – Milwaukee – Milwaukee Business Journal] as well as the University of Wisconsin. The donation of $50 million was made "to inspire other donors to create undergraduate and athletic scholarships and graduate fellowships for UW-Madison students. The gift will match, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, other donations made to support scholarship programs. The UW Foundation describes the Nicholas' donation as'the second-largest household gift in the university's history.'",[http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2015/06/12/ab-nicholas-and-his-wife-nancy-donate-50m-for-uw.html Ab Nicholas and his wife, Nancy, donate $50M for UW scholarships – Milwaukee – Milwaukee Business Journal][http://www.jsonline.com/business/nicholas-launching-50-million-college-scholarship-program-q08gmi4-188218561.html Money manager Ab Nicholas launching $50 million scholarship program] Another contribution to the school endowed a deanship for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Business School which had previously been paid with university funds.[http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/12/01/daily43.html Nicholas gift funds UW business deanship – Milwaukee – Milwaukee Business Journal]
Nicholas died on August 4, 2016, at the age of 85.{{cite web | last = Gallagher | first = Kathleen | title = Albert O. "Ab" Nicholas dies | work = Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | date = August 4, 2016 | url = http://www.jsonline.com/story/money/business/2016/08/04/albert-o-ab-nicholas-dies/88273344/ | accessdate = August 4, 2016}} On January 12, 2017, the UW athletic department announced that the Kohl Center basketball floor would be renamed the "Ab Nicholas Court" in his honor with the start of the 2017–18 season.{{cite press release|title=Kohl Center court named in honor of Ab Nicholas|publisher=Wisconsin Badgers Athletics Department|date=January 12, 2017|url=http://www.uwbadgers.com/news/2017/1/12/mens-basketball-kohl-center-court-named-in-honor-of-ab-nicholas.aspx?path=mbball|accessdate=December 2, 2017}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.jsonline.com/business/nicholas-launching-50-million-college-scholarship-program-q08gmi4-188218561.html Money manager Ab Nicholas launching $50 million scholarship program] for details on Basketball scholarship
- [http://www.abnicholas.com Sometimes confused with the securities finance firm A. B. Nicholas, though the two are completely separate]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicholas, Albert}}
Category:All-American college men's basketball players
Category:American chief executives of financial services companies
Category:Philanthropists from Illinois
Category:Milwaukee Hawks draft picks
Category:People from Rockford, Illinois
Category:Wisconsin School of Business alumni
Category:Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball players
Category:American men's basketball players