Czech Family Endows $1.0 Million Scholarship for U.S. Navy Seal Veterans at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

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Nov 12, 2018, 18:06 ET

OLD GREENWICH, Conn., Nov. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Stephen J. and Jennifer L. Czech announced a $1.0 million gift to The University of Chicago Booth School of Business ("Chicago Booth"). The proceeds of the gift will be used to fund scholarships for retired U.S. Navy SEALs enrolled at Chicago Booth. This gift is one of the two largest gifts dedicated to funding scholarships for U.S. veterans in Chicago Booth's history.

According to Steve and Jennifer Czech, "The U.S. Navy SEALs and their families sacrifice everything, every minute of every day they serve. This gift is a small token of our appreciation for the service and sacrifice of these great warriors and their families as well as all members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. This gift will enable veterans who served with the greatest fighting force the world has ever seen to attend the greatest business school in the world."

"We are very grateful to Steve and Jennifer for their commitment to our military veterans by helping former Navy SEALs pursue a Chicago Booth MBA," said Madhav Rajan, dean of Chicago Booth. "Through their experience, veterans bring an increased diversity and maturity to the classroom. The Czechs' generous contribution will help ease the financial burden of former Navy SEALs."

"This incredibly generous gift from Steve and Jennifer Czech paves the way for our SEAL veterans to receive a best-in-class post-graduate education from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business," said Robin King, CEO of The Navy SEAL Foundation. "When I think about the true value of this scholarship, I am just so grateful to Steve and Jennifer. Their investment in education for SEALs who have devoted their lives to service will pay dividends for these worthy scholarship recipients, their families and their communities now and well into the future. The Czech's support of our warriors is extraordinary, and we are so appreciative of all that they do to advance our mission of service at The Navy SEAL Foundation."

About Stephen J. Czech: Steve Czech has over 29 years of credit and corporate finance experience as well as a long record of establishing and running direct lending credit funds. His experience includes sourcing, structuring, underwriting, monitoring and restructuring corporate loans. Prior to forming Czech Asset Management, L.P., Steve was employed by several prominent firms, including Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse Group AG, Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette ("DLJ") and Banc of America Securities LLC. Czech and his family are significant donors to, and advocates of, causes related to: (i) terminally-ill children, (ii) active-duty and retired Navy SEALs and their families; (iii) first-responders (i.e.: Police, Fire and EMTs); and (iv) scholarships for underprivileged high-school students throughout the United States. Czech is the founder and Co-Chairman of The Mikey Czech Foundation, a member of The Navy SEAL Foundation National Leadership Council, a member of the Advisory Board of The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a Laureate member of the Dean's Society of The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a member of Villanova University's President's Club & Parents Executive Committee, a member of the Aesclepian Society of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and a member of the Dana-Farber Presidential Visiting Committee for Pediatric Oncology. Czech received a B.S. from Marquette University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

About Czech Asset Management, L.P.: Czech Asset Management, L.P., with approximately $4.3 billion of capital under management since inception, is a Greenwich, CT-based direct lending investment advisory firm engaged in providing privately negotiated, asset-based and cash-flow first and second lien secured floating rate senior secured loans primarily to U.S. middle market companies.

About The University of Chicago Booth School of Business:
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is one of the leading business schools in the world. The school's faculty includes many renowned scholars including nine Nobel Prize winners, and its graduates include many business leaders across the U.S. and worldwide. The Chicago approach to management education is distinguished by how it leverages fundamental knowledge, its rigor and its practical application to business challenges. Chicago Booth offers a Full-Time MBA Program, an Evening MBA Program and a Weekend MBA Program, as well as an Executive MBA Program in Chicago, London and Hong Kong. The school also offers a Ph.D. program, open-enrollment executive education and custom corporate education.

About The Navy SEAL Foundation:
The Navy SEAL Foundation's mission is to provide immediate and ongoing support and assistance to the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community and its families. U.S. Navy SEALs have been in sustained combat for over 17 years, performing hazardous work in unforgiving environments at an unrelenting pace. SEALs are currently deployed in over 30+ countries across the globe and can spend up to 270 days each year in harm's way. The Navy SEAL Foundation stands behind these warriors and their families by providing a comprehensive set of programs specifically designed to improve health and welfare, build and enhance resiliency, empower and educate families and provide critical support during times of illness, injury or loss. Like the community it serves, the Navy SEAL Foundation is a high performing organization committed to excellence. NSF has received seven consecutive 4-Star ratings from Charity Navigator. It is one of only 68 charities from among more than 9,000 to have earned a perfect score of 100 for our financial health, accountability, and transparency, placing NSF in the top 1% of the rated charities. Ninety-four cents of every dollar donated goes directly to programs or is retained for future mission use. The Navy SEAL Foundation is a 501c3 national non-profit charitable organization. TAX-ID 31-1728910. The Navy SEAL Foundation is a non-federal entity and is not a part of the Department of Defense or any of its components, and it has no governmental status. For more information, please visit: http://www.navySEALfoundation.org or email [email protected].

SOURCE Czech Asset Management, L.P.