A Message from Steve Richards ’79, Chairman, The Terrace Council
“As the newly installed Chairman of the Terrace Council, I want to begin by expressing my gratitude to the members of the Terrace Council for the generosity you have shown our College. Your commitment inspires me. I very much look forward to these next two years as Chairman. It will be a labor of love.
One thing I hope to learn is why Terrace Council members are so giving. I think there are stories among us worth sharing. Here are a few reasons why I give to Union:
My four years at Union were transformative. I arrived a bit “raw” and Union helped shape me. It cultivated a curiosity in me about nearly everything and made me a perpetual student. Learning is a way of life for me and this makes for a rich life. I’m giving back to Union when I donate money.
- I live in nearby Saratoga Springs and have come to know student stories first-hand. They are so impressive: their talent and their demonstrated ability to overcome obstacles. When I donate, I think of helping these young people along their way, by helping provide first-rate faculty, great facilities, financial aid, and all the other ingredients that will make their experience at Union profound.
- Another reason comes from my competitive side. I want Union to continue to thrive and to be highly competitive for the best students and for the support of leading foundations. The competitor in me wants to see Union ranked high, and I want to see our rankings only improve. “Onward and upward” is what I think.
I hope you join the Terrace Council. We grew to 862 members last fiscal year and materially contributed to Union’s continued high achievement. We are in this together.
Sincerely,
Steven L. Richards ’79
Chairman, Terrace Council
About Steve Richards
Steve Richards is a 1979 graduate of Union College, where he majored in Political Science and minored in Economics. He graduated with Honors and was awarded the Bailey Cup in his senior year. Steve went on to study law at the University of Virginia, where he earned a Juris Doctor degree in 1982. Steve began his career with a large law firm, Robinson & Cole, where he was elected partner in 1988. He left his law partnership in 1994 to pursue a career that combined law and business, which has led to management and investment experiences in several industries, including outdoor power equipment, fitness equipment, paper, book and magazine publishing, information technology and golf. Today he focuses most of his energies on his investment in Garnet River, an information technology company, and his consulting work with the golf legend and entrepreneur, Arnold Palmer. Steve resides in Saratoga Springs, New York, with his wife, Carla, and his daughters, Hadley and Olivia.
