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When Rick (M.B.A. ’84, M.P.A. ’85) and Margarita
(M.P.A. ’86) Tonkinson attended the University of
Miami School of Business Administration, they managed
a demanding schedule of school, work and parenting.
In the following years, they have poured their energy
into an array of pursuits, including a business
that has made life better for hundreds of retirees.
Now, in a move that reflects both their dedication
to the University and their interest in helping
others, the Tonkinsons have committed $50,000 to
the University of Miami to benefit the Diabetes
Research Institute, the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute,
and the School of Business Administration.
The Tonkinsons’ trio of gifts is directed towards
education and health. Rick and Margarita remember
their time at UM fondly, but they understand firsthand
the financial challenges many students face. Their
experience shaped their desire to assist students
in the M.P.A. program by establishing the Rick
and Margarita Tonkinson M.P.A. Scholarship Fund.
Says Rick, “We remember what a struggle it was.
We understand that other people could use the
help.” The Tonkinsons’ gift to the Bascom Palmer
Eye Institute focuses on young people, providing
prescription eyeglasses for needy children. As
a B.P.E.I. patient, Rick has long admired and
supported the Institute. The Tonkinsons are also
impressed by the extraordinary work of the Diabetes
Research Institute, and they are very pleased
to be making a major gift to support its cutting-edge
research efforts.
Margarita and Rick met in Margarita’s native
Colombia, where Rick was a Peace Corps volunteer.
Margarita’s international outlook was a big plus
in her eight years as associate director of the
University of Miami’s Office of International
Programs, where she became familiar with every
aspect of academic exchange and study abroad programs.
She has a passion for international education,
believing that it “transforms people for the best,
particularly young college students who are educating
and forming themselves to become the citizens
and professionals of tomorrow.” Appointed by President
George Bush, Margarita served for two consecutive
terms on the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship
Board (1990-1995). She was one of the co-founders
and the executive director of WorldStudy International
Programs and for the past seven years she has
offered her services pro bono to Rotary International
through the Rotary Club of Miami, where she and
Rick are very active.
Like Margarita, Rick takes a lively interest
in education. He was appointed by both Governor
Robert Martinez and Governor Lawton Chiles to
the Board of the Florida Endowment for Higher
Education, a body that awards scholarships to
African-American students pursuing Ph.D. degrees.
He has also served as a co-trustee of the Thomas
Brown McClelland Trust, administered by the Rotary
Club of Miami with Wachovia, which supports medical
students. Says Rick: “Educational opportunities
for the needy have always been important to me.
I’ve always felt I’ve been there, and I’d like
to help someone else.” Recently president of the
Rotary Club of Miami, Rick was drawn to the organization
by its outstanding philanthropy in the areas of
education and health.
Rick and Margarita reach out to others not only
through their abundant community service and giving
but also in the business they have built together.
Their firm, Rick Tonkinson and Associates, addresses
the needs of a neglected niche—working people
of modest means who wish to plan their retirement
years. Their client base is largely made up of
Florida Power and Light and Bell South workers,
and their style is hands-on. Rick travels all
over the state, and even the region, to spend
time with potential clients. His dedication is
evident in the way he talks about his firm: “We
take care of people who have been neglected and
they stay with us. We’ve helped them out and we’ve
learned from them.”
Rick Tonkinson and Associates is very much a
family affair, with Rick, Margarita, and son Steven
working together. “It’s a unique chemistry that
we have. We share a common passion. It’s a very
special mix to balance family and business,” says
Rick. “I’m very lucky to have built the business
and then have my son be interested in it.” Steven
is a University of Florida graduate, but UM has
always been part of his life. He remembers childhood
summers at the Coral Gables campus, where he attended
both the Beaux Arts summer program at the Lowe
Art Museum and Ron Frazier’s Baseball Camp. Rick
and Steven are dedicated ’Canes fans, with season
tickets for UM men’s and women’s basketball.
The Tonkinsons’ zest for life is expressed in
their myriad interests. Passionate patrons of
the arts, Margarita and Rick spend many evenings
enjoying opera, ballet, and the symphony. In addition,
they find time for fly fishing, whitewater rafting,
skiing and travel. The latter is one of their
greatest pleasures. It’s an enthusiasm that started
early for Rick: “I love to travel. When I was
a little kid, I used to look at the atlas and
dream.” The Tonkinsons have explored many of the
places Rick pored over as a child, including China,
Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Australia.
Caring and commitment come naturally to Rick
and Margarita Tonkinson. In Rick’s words, “We
made it and now we have the opportunity to be
generous. That’s what it’s all about.” This charismatic
couple is making lasting contributions, here at
the University of Miami and throughout our community.
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