Warren Thompson, president and chairman of the board, Thompson Hospitality Corporation, https://www.thompsonhospitality.com/team-member/warren-thompson/
In a philanthropic gesture, Warren Thompson, the founder of Thompson Hospitality, the nation’s largest Black-owned and privately held hospitality company, has donated $1 million to Historically Black University Virginia State University (VSU).
“The Department of Hospitality Management is honored and humbled to receive a donation of this magnitude that celebrates the legacy of Fred & Ruby Thompson,” said Berkita Bradford, Department Chair of Hospitality Management at VSU, according to Clutch Points. “This is a game-changer for our department. A gift of this magnitude allows us to recruit the best and brightest. We’re committed to preparing hospitality graduates for long-term success as they enter the global hospitality industry.”
Founded on March 6, 1882, Virginia State is a public HBCU in Ettrick, Virginia. It developed as the U.S.’s first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for Black Americans. In 2022, Virginia State’s peak revenue was $115.8 million, according to Zippia. It has a student population of about 4,000.
Warren founded Thompson Hospitality in 1992 and has partnered with VSU as its food service provider for three consecutive terms.
“We’re honored to not only partner with Virginia State University but also to give back to its staff, students, and community through this donation,” said Thompson. “By virtue of my parents, Fred & Ruby Thompson, receiving their degrees from Virginia State University, I have always felt like I am a product of this great institution. Honoring their legacy and memory makes this commitment even more special.”
Thompson’s parents, Fred and Ruby Thompson, are both VSU alumni. Ruby graduated with a degree in Home Economics, while Fred obtained a master’s in education.
This donation marks the second $1 million contribution from the Thompson Family, following their initial pledge in 2011. The current donation was presented during the Homecoming football game on Oct. 14.
Furthermore, to honor the Thompson Family’s contributions, the VSU Hospitality Management Department will be named the Fred & Ruby Thompson Hospitality Department. This renaming symbolizes the lasting impact and legacy left by Warren Thompson and Thompson Hospitality at VSU.
“After all the Thompson family has done for the university, we wanted to do something that would commemorate the legacy of both Fred and Ruby,” said Tonya Hall, Vice President of External Relations. “We are profoundly grateful for the Thompson Family’s significant contributions to VSU, and we look forward to a fruitful partnership that will empower our students and shape the future of hospitality.”
Warren Thompson, president and chairman of the board, Thompson Hospitality Corporation, https://www.thompsonhospitality.com/team-member/warren-thompson/
