Robert Siegfried is a key .5 million donor to the University of Delaware.

Robert L. Siegfried Jr.’s recent pledge of .5 million to the University of Delaware has made headlines not just for its magnitude but for the remarkable success story of the man behind the gift. The funds are designated for the construction of new business classrooms and the establishment of the Siegfried Institute for Leadership and Free Enterprise, which aims to delve into principles such as limited government, the rule of law, and free enterprise.

Siegfried, a prominent accountant and entrepreneur, has built an impressive career in the business consulting arena. Today, he presides over the Siegfried Group and Siegfried Advisory in Wilmington, Delaware, employing more than 1,400 accountants who provide high-level advisory services to Fortune 500 companies and other clients. His own journey began modestly in Claymont, Delaware, where he was raised in a working-class family. His father was a machinist at DuPont, and he instilled in Siegfried a strong work ethic, encouraging his children to strive for success while maintaining their integrity.

After studying economics at the University of Delaware, Siegfried transitioned to studying accounting due to pragmatic career considerations. He began his professional life at Arthur Young & Co., a predecessor to Ernst & Young. In 1988, Siegfried made the entrepreneurial leap to co-found his own firm, leveraging key insights from management literature to foster growth and establish a new model for accounting services.

Siegfried’s methodology involved integrating economic foresight into traditional accounting, offering clients not just review services but forward-looking projections. This approach soon garnered the attention of major corporations, notably when Siegfried was consulted by a DuPont strategic planner to help navigate the spin-off of a billion-dollar business unit.

Despite obstacles, including a challenging early partnership and personal hardships, his firms’ revenues surged over the years, hitting million in 2007 and eventually eclipsing 0 million by 2020. His ability to innovate and adapt, even in the face of economic downturns like the Great Recession and COVID-19 pandemic, has been pivotal. As Citizens Financial estimated the value of Siegfried’s business at 0 million, he began contemplating his legacy and philanthropic goals.

With advice from notable industry leaders, Siegfried opted to structure his financial legacy through a debt-financed distribution model, enabling him to fund his substantial donation to the University of Delaware while maintaining ownership and control of his business. This significant commitment marks not only a personal triumph for Siegfried but serves as a testament to the impact that strong business acumen and community loyalty can have on education and leadership in future generations.