Home Nonprofit & Education Education Former Hydrofera CEO, wife donate $1M toward URI athletic field upgrades

Former Hydrofera CEO, wife donate $1M toward URI athletic field upgrades

By

James Bessette

-

02/26/2024

THOMAS F. DRURY, pictured, founder and former CEO of Hydrofera LLC, and his wife, Catherine, donated $1 million toward upgrades and repairs to the University of Rhode Island's athletic fields. / SCREENSHOT VIA YOUTUBE.COM

SOUTH KINGSTOWN – A University of Rhode Island alum who is the former founder and CEO of a Connecticut-based health sciences company, along with his wife, has made a seven-figure gift to his alma mater to help it refurbish its athletic fields. The university announced Monday that Thomas J. and Catherine F. Drury have donated

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SOUTH KINGSTOWN – A University of Rhode Island alum who is the former founder and CEO of a Connecticut-based health sciences company, along with his wife, has made a seven-figure gift to his alma mater to help it refurbish its athletic fields. The university announced Monday that Thomas J. and Catherine F. Drury have donated $1 million toward URI’s ongoing campaign to upgrade several outdoor athletic facilities on campus. This is the first significant gift publicly announced by URI for its $20 million fundraising initiative, launched back in October, to help with the field fixes. URI needs about $82 million in repairs and upgrades for Meade Stadium – home to URI’s football and new lacrosse teams – the Tootell Aquatic Center, the outdoor track and field facilities, the baseball and softball fields and the soccer complex. The university received significant state assistance for this large project where over the course of three fiscal years, URI will receive $65.8 million from the state via its Rhode Island Capital Plan Fund for the repairs and renovations. However, that financial gap needed to be closed on URI’s end of it. URI Director of Athletics Thorr Bjorn told Providence Business News at the time the remaining $20 million will come from university donors, likely over the course of five years. “We are incredibly grateful to Tom and Cathy for this generous gift. It is just the start of everything we will be able to accomplish together through this initiative for the athletics program and the university as a whole,” Bjorn said in a statement Monday. [caption id="attachment_460592" align="alignright" width="397"]

THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND is currently conducting its $20 million campaign to close the financial gap to make repairs and upgrades to its athletic fields, including Meade Stadium. / COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND

THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND is currently conducting its $20 million campaign to close the financial gap to make repairs and upgrades to its athletic fields, including Meade Stadium. / COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND[/caption] URI says Thomas Drury founded in 1996 and was CEO of Hydrofera LLC, a company that develops and sells advance wound dressings that stimulates the healing process. The company was sold in 2021 to Sweden-based Essity. Drury, URI says, was a member of the university’s football team while he earned an accounting degree. Since graduating, Drury remained connected with URI by volunteering his time at the university. Now, Drury in a statement felt financially helping his alma mater rebuild and renovate the sports fields there for future athletes to compete on was an opportunity for he and his wife “to be part of something big.” “We want to help URI student athletes get ahead, and this moment of support from the state and focused attention from other alumni seemed like just the right time,” he said. “We need to show the world of college athletics what URI can do.” James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.