As Andrew Heller was growing up near Cleveland, Ohio, his parents instilled in him a foundation of charitable giving. That foundation has guided his generosity, from giving back to his alma mater and supporting the arts and underprivileged children in his community to establishing a feline rescue center with his wife Tanya.
Heller attended Wesleyan University and then earned his M.B.A. in International Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Wharton provided a sense of community for Heller, and he soon joined the Board of Overseers as well as participated in alumni events across the globe. He also endowed the Andrew M. Heller professorship and established two scholarships for Wharton students.
“I started giving to Wharton as soon as I graduated,” Heller said. “I was very much interested in education as my charitable focus.”
Professionally, Heller moved to New York after earning his degree, working as a management consultant for Deloitte. He then created Heller Capital Corporation, which provides financing for start-up companies and acquisitions. Heller bought a small manufacturing company in 1989 and, after growing that business many-fold, has used the profits to invest in manufacturing, financial services, medical technology, real estate development, and natural resource development companies, to name a few.
Life took Heller to Washington, D.C., which is where he met Tanya. At the time, she was running a charity event, the Capital City Ball, that raised awareness and money to fight human trafficking and was working as a Realtor. Prior to that, Tanya had worked in the field of animal medicine. When Andrew and Tanya married and moved to Florida, they looked for a space that would accommodate Tanya’s love for animals—she had 14 pets at the time. During the renovation of their home, stray cats seemed to gravitate to their doorstep. Tanya rescued, tamed, and placed the cats in loving homes. In 2019, the couple established Purrr, a rescue center that captures, spays or neuters, and domesticates feral cats and kittens before helping them be adopted.
Other philanthropic endeavors for the Hellers include the Jack and Jill Children’s Center and NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, where Andrew serves on the board of governors. Andrew is also the proud father of two grown children.
Originally, Andrew was hesitant to move to Fort Lauderdale because he was afraid the city would not offer the same cultural opportunities he desired. He met Bonnie Clearwater, NSU Art Museum director and chief curator, during an Art Basel tour and quickly learned how much South Florida had to offer.
“I have always loved art,” Heller said. “Between the Broward Center, the NSU Art Museum, and access to other cultural venues, I came to learn that Fort Lauderdale really has a much more sophisticated palate to offer everyone in terms of culture.”
For more information on how to support an NSU giving opportunity, please contact Alissa Hechter, assistant vice president of development for NSU University Advancement, at (954) 262-2408 or via email at ah833@nova.edu.