From São Paulo to New York

The Lacerdas were both raised in São Paulo but met while they were each working for Bear Stearns in New York. Ricardo earned his MBA at Columbia, and the way he described his School experience convinced Carolina to apply. They got married 10 days after Carolina’s Columbia graduation. 

Building Momentum

“When I graduated from Columbia I had five or six job offers,” recalls Carolina. “I went to work for Merrill Lynch because it was my dream job; I spent about 10 years there.” From 2011 to 2015, she headed investment banking for UBS in Brazil. She now runs her own market advisory firm, CL Assessoria. Ricardo headed Goldman Sachs in Brazil before ultimately serving as Citi’s head of investment banking for all Latin America. In 2009, he founded BR Partners, an independent investment bank. 

A Perfect Balance

 “At Columbia, there was a very strong balance of practical and professional experience along with the academics,” says Ricardo. “I was able to work for big firms, then start my own firm and have a successful entrepreneurial career. Columbia prepared me to have a wide range of experiences in a very successful way.” 

A Lesson Remembered

“One of my professors would always tell us, ‘cash is king,’” Carolina says. “This drove my decisions both personally and professionally. At work, people would say, ‘You need to approve funds for this company’s great idea!’ But I’d see that the company didn’t have the cash and wasn’t going to survive. Today, people thank me for that because we could have gotten the bank into trouble.” 

Living Abroad, Staying Involved

The Lacerdas regularly host recruitment and alumni events in São Paulo. They recently made a generous recurring leadership gift to the Columbia Business Fund, joining the School’s Hermes Society. “We want to help the School in the same way it helped us,” explains Carolina. Adds Ricardo, “We don’t want to do something that’s just for one time. We want to stay involved to ensure that our contribution is making a difference to the School.” 

To learn more about becoming involved and supporting the School, please visit www.gsb.columbia.edu/alumni/stay-involved or contact Isaac W. K. Thweatt, executive director of individual giving, at it2262@gsb.columbia.edu or 212-854-0719.

Starting Out

“After business school I returned to the West Coast, and my brother and I founded Microline Software. We sold it in 1997, started Speedera Networks, then formed Industry Ventures in 2000 to invest in technology-related investments. When the dot-com bubble burst, we saw an opportunity to create a secondary venture capital market and began buying the investment portfolios, private shares, and partnership interests from their original investors who needed liquidity. Now, Industry Ventures has more than $3 billion in assets under management.”

A Commitment

Swildens is taking part in one of Columbia’s new giving opportunities by generously pledging a percentage of the interest and capital commitment he makes as a general partner in one of Industry Ventures’ secondary funds. When the investment yields distributions, they’ll go to the Eugene Lang Entrepreneurship Center at the School.

When I go to the office, I feel like I'm working not only for myself and my family, but also for Columbia Business School.

Why It Makes Sense

“Making a gift of business interests is ideal for me. Since a substantial percentage of my money is tied up in my funds, being philanthropic in this way allows me to make gifts while I’m still building my business. In Silicon Valley, pledging a portion of your wealth to philanthropy is viewed as something everyone should do for the benefit of the community.”

Sharing the Success

“Columbia was a foundational component of my education. When I attended, entrepreneurship wasn’t as much of a focus; I was one of the few people from my class who followed that path. Now that Columbia has such active entrepreneurship programs, supporting the Lang Center lets me connect the dots between my education and career. I hope my fellow alumni entrepreneurs will take this opportunity to align their success with the School’s future by pledging their support in this meaningful way.”

Making a gift of business interests* is one of two new ways to link your success to Columbia Business School. Entrepreneurs may also participate in the Founders’ Pledge by promising a percentage of the future proceeds of their company. To learn more, contact Lynne Winter, executive director, major gifts, at lmw2162@gsb.columbia.edu or 212-854-6891.

* Gifts of business interests with LP, LLC interests, or privately held S & C corp. restricted stock fulfill multiple philanthropic goals and provide tax benefits, including reduction or elimination of capital gains taxes. Consult your financial adviser to discuss your unique situation.

A Life-Altering Class

“Personal Leadership and Success with Professor Hitendra Wadhwa was my favorite class. He taught me that in order to deal with whatever comes your way, you have to look inward and find your inner compass. You have to find what gives you personal satisfaction. He also taught me that everything comes down to having a positive attitude. Understanding and, most important, internalizing that philosophy helped me out after some serious personal setbacks.”

Business School—Before and After

“When I got here, it just blew my mind. There’s such a big world out there, and you can learn so much—which I did. The single most important thing I learned at Columbia was how to deal with failure—how to use it as a positive rather than a negative.”

“I stay involved with Columbia Business School because I value surrounding myself with smart, genuine, hardworking people."

The World’s a Stage

“Almost all of my free time at School was devoted to Follies. I wanted to be involved, and I’m theatrical at heart. I’d been a student leader at university, so I wanted to contribute in a different way at Columbia. Some of my best friends from Business School are from Follies.”

Why He Gives Back

“I have a lot of respect for my peers from Columbia. I want to keep in touch, and it’s so easy to drift. I want to keep that network strong, for both business and personal reasons. When my father died, 15 of my classmates from Columbia flew in to India for the funeral. Some of them came from the US just to stay for a single day. I want to give back to the School community; I’m obliged to give back, and I love giving back.”

Leadership Participation

Anand is a valued School volunteer who is active with the Jerome A. Chazen Institute for Global Business and the Family Business Program. He is a co-chair of the alumni club in Mumbai and was class reunion chair for the 2015 reunion. Anand regularly travels from his home in India to attend Columbia Business School events.

To learn more about becoming involved and supporting the School, please visit www.gsb.columbia.edu/alumni/stay-involved or contact Isaac W. K. Thweatt, executive director of individual giving, at it2262@gsb.columbia.edu or 212-854-0719.

“When I think of the incredible value I've gotten from Columbia Business School, I'm very motivated to give back and help whenever I can.”

Early Involvement

“While I was still at the School, I worked with External Relations as head of the committee that encourages graduating students to become active, engaged alumni. My role was to inspire classmates to join the Hermes Society with a leadership-level pledge before they graduated. I felt strongly about communicating the importance of paying it forward, making sure Columbia Business School remains one of the top in the world and accessible to the best of the best, regardless of financial capability.”

Show Support, Stay Engaged

“Making a Hermes Society leadership gift of $2,500 demonstrates the strength of the Columbia Business School network and helps Columbia remain a global leader in business education. Stay involved – you might choose to volunteer for Reunion, join a committee, or attend an event. The bottom line is: if it's a priority, you make room for it.”

Lessons to Remember

“In my management and leadership courses, we learned that the job of a leader is not to be the person with all the answers; it's to be the person who harnesses the power of the entire group. Leadership is about asking questions and setting up an environment where everybody is bringing their expertise to the table and everyone is heard. Those lessons totally transformed the way in which I approach work.”

Leadership Participation

Hribar has made a Hermes Society gift each year since graduation and in 2015 joined the Centennial Partners, a group of distinguished donors who have pledged at least $50,000 to the Columbia Business Fund or the Executive MBA Fund in honor of the School's Centennial. She volunteers as a member of the Hermes Society Leadership Committee, has been a featured speaker at Columbia Forever Week, has volunteered for Reunion, and regularly participates in the life of the school.

I wouldn’t be where I am now or have so many opportunities if not for Columbia Business School. I feel it’s my duty to give back to the next generation.

How Columbia Shaped His Career

“I was introduced to Tishman Realty when they gave a company presentation at Columbia during my first year. That led to a summer job. When Tishman asked me to stay on after the summer, Columbia worked with me so that I could take all my classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It turned out to be a great experience, as I was able to combine classroom theory with real-world experience. Without Columbia’s corporate connections and New York location, I never would have been able to do this.”

Why He Gives Back

“Real estate is probably one of the most difficult things to teach without practical input. Columbia gives you this New York experience, where you can tour real estate projects, meet with alumni in your field, and go on job interviews. There’s nothing like it, but it only works if alumni become a resource for the School.”

The broad knowledge of business that I gained at Columbia has been enormously helpful to me.

Why He Gives Back

“Only in business school do you get exposure to all the disciplines in business: marketing, accounting, finance, personnel management, statistics. Helping to develop these skills in the next generation of leaders will be positive for the country and the economy. All of my giving is aimed at helping people step up the ladder and exploit their talents, whatever they are, to the fullest.”

"A Columbia education is the best gift we can give to future generations. It makes the world a better place—for the next 100 years and beyond.”

Why He Gives Back

“Columbia Business School has made a huge difference in my life. The confidence and variety of business skills I gained at the School were particularly meaningful when I was first starting out and have continued to be useful throughout my 25-year career. Giving back to the School is a top priority for me.”

My classmates and I formed deep friendships, many of which continue today. We’ve even organized our own reunions.

Why She Gives Back

“I think it’s important to be a faithful annual donor and to remember the institution with a gift each year, which is also why I have included Columbia in my estate plans. Columbia has been in my family for more than 50 years, both as a staff member [as the former assistant dean at the School of Nursing] and an alumna. I want to ensure that future students are afforded the same opportunities as me.”

How Columbia Shaped Her Career

“At the end of the experience I took away more in self-confidence than book learning.”

"Columbia helps students develop creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, which are tremendous advantages in Asia’s complex and diverse markets"

Why She Gives Back

“Columbia Business School gave me a full merit fellowship to pursue my MBA, so it’s natural for me to provide the same opportunity to deserving students who need financial support.”

On Being Fearless

“My parents were poor, illiterate immigrants from China, and I grew up in South Central LA during the Watts riots. This instilled in me a certain fearlessness and motivated me to work very hard to make a better life.”

"Giving back to Columbia is a thank you to the School for taking a chance on me and helping me become the CEO I am today.”

Columbia Community Connections

Simon, a member of the Board of Overseers, also serves on the Paul Milstein Center for Real Estate’s MBA Real Estate Program Advisory Board and Real Estate Forum.

On How Columbia Shaped His Career

“Coming from Indiana to a great school in New York City significantly helped my professional development. The School’s academics and students are second to none.”

I give because of all I have gained from Columbia and my desire to give back what I have received.

On How Columbia Shaped His Career

“Columbia Business School gave me the tools necessary to compete in the business world and opened the door to Goldman Sachs, where I had a glorious career for almost 25 years. I made important and valued friendships at Columbia that I have maintained to this day.”

"I give because a business education promotes good decision-making skills and provides the contacts necessary to succeed in business."

Also Supports

Educational opportunities for those without the means to pay, organizations promoting civil society, and improvements to the lives of military veterans

On Working with Current Students

“I have taught value investing for years, primarily in Professor Bruce Greenwald’s classes. I hope that by sharing my investing perspective I have helped others avoid the painful mistakes I’ve made—and inspired some to enter the field by my love for the investment business.”