Franke, Richard J., 2008 May 18

Yale Corporation Fellow, 1987-99, two six-year terms. Senior Fellow six years. Yale benefactor.

Richard J. Franke graduated from Yale College in 1953 and from the Harvard University Business School in 1957. In 2001, Yale awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. He served as Chairman and CEO of John Nuveen & Co. before serving on the Yale Corporation. Widely recognized for his philanthropic work, Franke founded the Chicago Humanities Festival and was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Clinton. The Franke Lectures at Yale were donated by Richard and Barbara Franke to present important topics in the humanities. In 1995 he matched all outright gifts between five and $50 thousand designated for the renovation of Sterling Memorial Library, and a total of $3.3 million qualified for the match. The Franke Periodical Reading Room is named in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Franke.