Allan Herbert, University of Miami Philanthropist and Former Trustee, Dies at 89

Allan Herbert, a triple alumnus of the University of Miami and one of its most prominent donors, has died at the age of 89.

Herbert and his late wife, Patti, contributed more than $100 million to the university over several decades, according to a 2020 university announcement.

Their generosity supported many programs and facilities — most notably the Miami Herbert Business School and the Patti and Allan Herbert Wellness Center, both of which bear their names.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Allan Herbert, whose unwavering generosity and dedication have left an indelible mark on our institution,” Paul A. Pavlou, dean of Miami Herbert Business School, said in a statement Friday.

A former trustee who served on the board from 2013 to 2024, Herbert also held advisory roles at the Frost School of Music and other campus units.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1955 and an MBA in 1958. In 2023, at 88, he completed a Ph.D. from the business school that now bears his name, focusing his dissertation on income inequality in post–World War II industrialized nations. During UM’s fall 2023 commencement, he urged graduates to stay disciplined and meet deadlines.

Herbert’s “unwavering generosity and dedication have shaped the future of our institution,” Pavlou said.

Herbert met Patti McBride on campus in 1954, one of only five women in the business school at the time, Herbert said in a 2019 interview with UM professor Michael Wilson.

“That’s why we have our name on this business school — because it was Patti’s idea to take what we were able to achieve in life and then contribute it to the students,” he said.

He later described their first encounter at the Miami Hurricane, where she was typing advertising copy on a typewriter.

The Herberts’ $8 million gift in 2008 helped expand the wellness center. In 2004, they also funded the nearby “Love Bridge,” where proceeds from engraved bricks support student wellness initiatives.

Their philanthropy extended across the university, including the School of Law, School of Nursing and Health Studies, Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas, Lowe Art Museum, Student Affairs, Alumni Relations, and the Department of Athletics.

Outside academia, the Herberts owned the historic Richmond Hotel in Miami Beach. Allan worked as an executive at digital imaging firm Teledyne. Patti, who built a career in commercial real estate in South Florida, died in 2020. Both were members of Iron Arrow, the university’s highest honor.

Herbert remained closely involved with UM until his death.