A billionaire inventor who’s advancing innovation, creating lasting opportunities and empowering future leaders
Emphasizing his belief in the transformative power of education and healthcare, Dr. Herbert Wertheim in December 2025 transformed business education at Florida State University with a $65 million philanthropic investment that he proclaimed would “empower students and future leaders to drive meaningful progress, advance innovation in healthcare and business, and create lasting opportunities that benefit our communities and the world.” Dr. Wertheim’s extraordinary commitment established endowed funds to support various initiatives within the college, including student scholarships and professional development opportunities, faculty enhancement, emerging academic trends and a Wertheim Business of Healthcare Initiative, all directed within the college’s spectacular new facility, the Herbert Wertheim Center for Business Excellence. In addition to naming the building, Dr. Wertheim’s remarkable investment – the largest philanthropic endowment gift in FSU’s history – ushered in a new era of preeminence for the world-class business college, naming it the Herbert Wertheim College of Business.
About the Donor
Dr. Herbert Wertheim is a billionaire optometrist, inventor, businessman, philanthropist and the founder and president of Brain Power Incorporated (BPI), the world’s largest manufacturer of optical tints. He is renowned for his extensive philanthropic and leadership efforts, particularly in public education, health and the arts.
Born into a working-class family, Dr. Wertheim overcame early academic challenges and pursued an education in optometry and optical engineering, driven by a passion for science and an innate curiosity.
In 1971, he founded BPI, which has played a critical role in the advancement of eye health for more than 50 years. He is the first doctor to indicate and promote the danger of UV light to the eye and to prescribe his breakthrough invention of UV light absorbers for lenses that have prevented millions from potential diseases and blindness.
Dr. Wertheim holds the conviction that education serves as a means of dismantling societal obstacles and enhances the well-being of the community and humanity.
