William R. Hough Master’s Program in Finance

William R. Hough

This fund was established in honor of William R. Hough in 1999 for the purpose of supporting a Master of Science in Finance in the Hough Graduate School of Business in the Warrington College of Business.

Hough was born in 1927 in Ft. Myers, Florida and grew up in the St. Petersburg area after his family relocated there when he was just 10 years old. A member of the first graduating class of UF’s MBA program in 1948, Hough credits his success as an investment banker to his UF graduate school experience and professors. In 1962, Hough founded William R. Hough and Company, a St. Petersburg, Florida-based municipal bond firm that he headed for 42 years until it was sold to RBC Dain Rauscher of Minneapolis in 2004. After the sale, Hough continued as a senior portfolio manager at RBC. Hough was also the chairman of Republic Bancshares, Inc., which was acquired by BB&T in 2004.

Hough’s dedication to improving the quality of UF is evidenced not only by his generous financial support but also by volunteer service. He has served on the Business Advisory Council for the Warrington College of Business since 1989 and the UF Foundation Board of Directors since 2000.

Mr. Hough’s support of education, arts and medicine has benefitted many organizations including Boy Scouts, medical centers, cultural arts organizations and schools and colleges in the Tampa Bay area.