The family of Henry B. Tippie, a University of Iowa benefactor and native Iowan, has committed $20 million toward the construction of a new business education complex at the University of Iowa Henry B. Tippie College of Business.
According to a release, the funding will support the modernization of Gilmore Hall, a historic campus building near the intersection of Jefferson and Clinton Streets. Gilmore Hall shares a green space with the John Pappajohn Business Building, and a planned glass atrium will connect the two buildings and serve as a shared space for academic collaboration.
“This leadership gift will help us create state-of-the-art classrooms, expand faculty space to support our growing student body, and enhance student engagement,” said Amy Kristof-Brown, Henry B. Tippie dean. “It will also strengthen our role as an entrepreneurial hub and driver of economic growth, while providing much-needed event spaces to showcase our outstanding programs.”
Since the Pappajohn building opened in 1994, Tippie’s enrollment has more than doubled. The college added more than 500 students after being named a top 20 public business school by U.S. News & World Report in 2024.
The proposed expansion, including the renovated Gilmore Hall, would add 65,000 square feet to help address space limitations and meet the needs of a record number of undergraduates.
The expanded facilities will include new classrooms, learning labs, mentoring and tutoring space, an executive boardroom, team meeting rooms and a large gathering area.
Construction on the new project will begin in 2026, with an estimated start-to-finish timeline of two years.
“The Tippie family has created a beautiful legacy that embodies the Hawkeye spirit,” said Lynette Marshall, president and chief executive officer of the University of Iowa Center for Advancement. “We’re so grateful for the continued dedication to our people and these incredible spaces.”
The Iowa Board of Regents approved the expansion in August 2024.
