Warrington College of Business mourns the loss of UF’s greatest supporter and benefactor Al Warrington

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – It is with heavy hearts that the University of Florida Warrington College of Business announces the loss of college namesake and UF’s greatest supporter – Alfred C. Warrington, IV. Warrington passed on May 20, 2020 of natural causes. He was 84 years old.

“Al Warrington was our champion and our foundation,” said Dean John Kraft. “His continued leadership and generosity made it possible for the college to be recognized as one of the best business schools in the world. We are proud to carry on his legacy in name and in spirit.”

Warrington received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in accounting from the University of Florida in 1958. He was the first member of his family to attend college and paid his way through UF with odd jobs, like cleaning fraternity houses. While having to be financially independent in college, Warrington was still active on campus as a member of Chi Phi, Beta Alpha Psi and Delta Sigma Pi.

After serving in the Marine Corps Reserve post-graduation, Warrington was one of only two UF students that year to secure a job at national accounting firm Arthur Andersen & Co. Warrington served in various leadership positions at the firm for more than 30 years before branching off to create his own company, Sanifill, Inc. The Houston-based environmental company has since merged with Waste Management, Inc., the nation’s largest environmental services company. Warrington also founded Atlanta-based health and beauty aids manufacturer House of Cheatham, Inc. and was a founding member of other Texas-based companies, including Frontier Waste, Houston Plating and Coating and Gulf Coast Mechanical.

In 1996, Warrington provided his first major gift of $12 million to the then College of Business Administration to establish an endowment for the college and provide much-needed faculty support. Warrington’s second major gift came in 2009 when he donated $16 million to establish another endowment supporting the college’s accounting and entrepreneurship programs. It was with his 2014 gift that Warrington, along with his wife, Judy, made history. With a $75 million legacy gift pledge, the largest in UF’s history, Warrington became UF’s first $100 million donor.

Warrington believed strongly in the college’s faculty, and knew that his continued and generous support would help them reach their full teaching and research potential.

“We have an incredible faculty at the college, as evidenced by some major publications that evaluate our team to be the finest business faculty in the nation among public or private institutions, which is the good news,” Warrington said in 2009. “The bad news, though, is we haven’t added enough professors, as evidenced by a very high student/teacher ratio. [My] gift, which is being accompanied by others, will help address this issue. I hope this gift will encourage others to join in supporting this singularly most important need at our college of business.”

In addition to his support of the Warrington College of Business and roles on the Warrington College of Business Advisory Council and Fisher School of Accounting Advisory Board, Warrington was a passionate advocate for the University of Florida, previously serving as a founding member of the UF Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2013, UF Foundation National Board and as President of the UF Alumni Association, in addition to numerous other volunteer positions.  

Warrington was also a proud sponsor of the University of Florida Athletic Association, serving on the Gator Boosters Board of Directors and supporting student athletes through multiple endowments. He helped design the financing program that enabled the UF Athletic Association to fund new projects such as the additions of the north and south end zones and the skyboxes at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, and new tennis, track, baseball, and basketball practice facilities. In gratitude for years of service and support of the Gator Boosters, Warrington was inducted into the UF Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.

Warrington’s commitment to the University of Florida was unmatched, and he truly was a Gator through and through. When asked why he made his first major gift in 1996, he replied simply, “Because I love this school.”

Warrington is survived by his wife, Judy, sons Al Warrington V (BSBA ’82, JD ’85) (Stephanie, BSBA ’89, MBA/MHS ‘94) and Tom (BSESS ’89) and three grandchildren.

Read more about Al and his life of leadership in his obituary.