Investing in world changers
Venture capitalist Bob Pavey's historic commitment establishes new 'eminent professorship'
When Bob Pavey talks about building a great university, he doesn’t start with buildings or balance sheets. He starts with people.
That belief is now reshaping Case Western Reserve in a historic way. Pavey, together with his wife, Trisha, and their family, has committed $5 million to establish the university’s first eminent professorship—marking the largest gift dedicated to a faculty position in the university’s history.
“World-class people are what you build a university around,” said Pavey, a university trustee and venture capitalist. “If you want to make a real difference, you invest in individuals who are doing important work and have the ability to change their field.”
The gift and creation of the new category of professorship comes as the university continues to earn national recognition for research, innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Pavey Family Eminent Professorship is held by Paul Tesar, PhD (CWR ’03), founding director of the Institute for Glial Sciences at the School of Medicine. A faculty member whose work bridges fundamental discovery, translational research and patient-focused application, Tesar exemplifies the kind of impact Pavey believes is worth backing for the long term.
By developing opportunities for donors to fund eminent professorships, the university aims to secure sustained, flexible support for transformative advances that often take years to unfold.
Tesar’s work embodies that philosophy. A pioneer in stem cell and glial biology, he has helped reshape understanding of the central nervous system and its role in neurological disease. He and colleagues have translated discoveries into potential therapies for people with conditions such as multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative disorders.
“Brain diseases are among the most important challenges in medicine today,” Pavey said. “At Case Western Reserve and in Cleveland, we are fortunate to have on our faculty Dr. Paul Tesar, a world leader in addressing these challenges.”
Pavey’s CWRU connection began shortly after he arrived in Cleveland in the late 1960s. Influenced by his mentor, venture capitalist and CWRU advocate David Morgenthaler, Pavey became deeply engaged in supporting faculty, research and entrepreneurship, ultimately joining the CWRU Board of Trustees in 2016.
During a career spanning more than 50 years, Pavey has led investments in companies including Apple Computer, Synopsys, and Peregrine Semiconductor, helping shape today’s technology landscape. That same forward-looking mindset guides his philanthropy at the university—including support for the President’s Strategic Initiative Fund, the School of Medicine, Weatherhead School of Management and the Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition, which he and Gary Morgenthaler funded, following the example of David’s contribution to his alma mater.
“The most important things don’t happen overnight,” Pavey said. “If you can look ahead and support the right people early, you can help make progress on problems that truly matter—to the university, to the community and to the world.”
