The Wisconsin School of Business is proud to recognize Ricky Sandler (BBA ’91) with the Distinguished Business Alumni Award.
This award honors individuals with exceptional careers who have made far-reaching impacts in their community, their industry, and at UW–Madison.
In addition to significant career accomplishments, Sandler is noted for his efforts to help Business Badgers find success across financial industries. To that end, he played a critical role in establishing Badgers in Finance—a professional and recruitment network for UW–Madison students and alumni—while also spearheading and championing many additional initiatives.
“Ricky’s impact on the Wisconsin School of Business is both profound and far-reaching,” says Bennett Cole, executive director of industry relations at WSB. “His unwavering dedication as a board member, educator, mentor, and benefactor has fueled the school’s progress through innovative programs such as Badgers in Finance, the Sophomore Finance Internship Program, and many more.”
A chartered financial analyst and successful executive in the investment space, Sandler majored in accounting and finance at WSB—where he graduated with honors—before launching his investing career as a research analyst at the Mark Asset Management Corporation. He later co-founded and served as co-general partner of Fusion Capital Management.
In 1999, Sandler founded Eminence Capital, LP, where he serves as chief executive officer and chief investment officer. He’s responsible for setting the firm’s strategic direction, as well as directly managing its investment team and diversified investment portfolio. Today, Eminence oversees about $7 billion in investments.
“Ricky’s impact on the Wisconsin School of Business
—Bennett Cole, executive director of industry relations at WSB
is both profound and far-reaching.”
Sandler serves as an advisor on the Investment Committee for the University of Wisconsin Foundation, and continues to support the Business Badger community through philanthropy and teaching. Through his lead gift, Sandler paved the way for the creation of WSB’s Learning Commons, Grainger Hall’s state-of-the art learning and study space that includes the Finance and Analytics Lab. There, Sandler teaches the Applied Equity Market Research capstone course, in which finance students learn from successful executives about topics such as business model analysis, valuation approaches, preparing a professional quality stock pitch, and more.
Cole adds, “Ricky’s guidance, mentorship, and steadfast support have been invaluable, and the school’s gratitude for his impact is immeasurable.”
Read about the other 2024 WSB Alumni Award recipients.
From Dean Samba
“Ricky’s vision for WSB as a leading business school is immediately apparent when you first meet him. He has sent us countless students, built alumni networks, designed and launched a new finance course and even helped redesign our library to meet the learning needs of the next generation. WSB is so lucky to have someone with Ricky’s accomplishments willing to roll up his sleeves and turn ideas into action.”