Title:Family of Henry J. Blommer (C’26) donates $3M to support sustainable business education at Georgetown McDonough
The extended family of Henry J. Blommer—a 1926 graduate of Georgetown College, former member of the Board of Directors, and recipient of both a John Carroll Award and the John Carroll Medal of Merit—is honoring his memory by establishing the Henry J. Blommer Family Endowed Chair in Sustainable Business at the McDonough School of Business.
Blommer, who passed away in 1992, exemplified thought leadership, volunteerism, and philanthropy. A cherished friend and advisor to former Georgetown President Rev. Edward B. Bunn, S.J., he played an integral role in turning some of the university’s grandest ambitions into reality. His work as an advocate and fundraiser led to the construction of the Reiss Science Building and McDonough Gymnasium. The Blommer Science Library is the result of his deeply held belief in the importance of a designated home for science collections.
After graduating, he became a member of the President’s Council and two-term Regent. According to the Georgetown Library Associates newsletter, “Mr. Blommer thought that the university needed a single building within which to centralize the science departments and, equally important, a single science library. He assisted Father Bunn in the fundraising required to pursue this vision, flying his small plane around the central part of the country with Father Bunn as his passenger, visiting alumni and friends who might be persuaded to share their dream. They succeeded. The Reiss Science Building was built and the Blommer Science Library was a significant component from the outset.”
These trips with former Georgetown President Bunn were significant in building the university’s endowment. In recognition of Blommer’s lasting impact, Georgetown presented him with the John Carroll Medal of Merit at the 1959 Commencement, as well as a John Carroll Award in 1970.
His extraordinary devotion to Georgetown inspired his brothers, two of his sons, three of his grandchildren, and four of his great-grandchildren to attend Georgetown.
“Henry and four generations of the Blommer family have had a tremendous impact on our Georgetown community,” says Georgetown President John J. DeGioia. “I am deeply grateful for their commitment to service and for their steadfast engagement and support. The Henry J. Blommer Family Endowed Chair in Sustainable Business at our McDonough School will strengthen the ways in which our University can better address the challenges that face our global community and as we seek to care for our common home.”
Modeling environmental and social good at Blommer Chocolate
Henry Blommer dedicated his life’s work to Blommer Chocolate, a chocolate and cocoa manufacturer he founded in 1939 with his brothers Bernard (C’30) and Al (C’31) Blommer. Under the leadership of Henry’s two sons, Hank (parent of Peter C’85 and Steve C’89) and Joe (C’64) (parent of Michael C’13), the company expanded the business footprint to include four manufacturing facilities throughout North America. The company was further expanded by the third generation, including Peter and Steve and their siblings and cousins, to become the largest cocoa processor and ingredient chocolate supplier in North America, and an emerging global player with operations in China and cocoa sourcing in Ecuador, Cote d’Ivoire, and Ghana.
The Blommer family’s gift is a testament to the sustainable business practices Henry Blommer prioritized during his years at the helm of Blommer Chocolate. The Blommer family redoubled this commitment nearly two decades ago by creating the Sustainable Origins platform for their cocoa and chocolate business.
Recently the company established a partnership with One Tree Planted, which will result in trees planted across the U.S. and Canada to support environmental conservation and restoration. Trees will be planted across Northern California, on private lands devastated by the Camp Fire of 2018; the Chesapeake Bay to protect the Bay from pollution; and Canada to support the reforestation of the Chignecto Isthmus and to protect the ecological connectivity that sustains Nova Scotia wildlife.
“Our grandfather was at the forefront of this concept of sustainability,” says Peter Blommer (C’85). “From the beginning he felt it was important to support your community in a holistic, global sense.”
Traveling to West Africa in the 1940s, Henry Blommer and his wife, Viola, met with heads of state in cocoa-growing communities,” adds Steve Blommer (C’89). “That was unheard of at the time, but Henry wanted to learn about the supply chain for cacao and the people involved in growing it. He helped to establish the American Cocoa Research Institute to conduct scientific studies to improve cocoa agronomy, farm yields and farmer incomes.”
Henry’s grandsons describe how Blommer advocated for the industry to invest in the cocoa supply chain to address pest and disease impact, classify and preserve cacao genotypes, and identify higher yielding planting material. His efforts evolved into the World Cocoa Foundation, which is now the main organization driving sustainability in the industry. Peter Blommer sits on its board.
“At the World Cocoa Foundation, everyone comes together to work toward a common purpose,” explains Peter Blommer. “All the competition is set aside and companies share best practices. They look for ways to help the people of the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and other cocoa-growing regions.”
Extending the family’s impact on Georgetown students, teaching, and research
Recognizing how important sustainability has always been to the mission of Blommer Chocolate, the family is excited to support the cutting-edge work being done at Georgetown McDonough.
“Our family sees Georgetown becoming a thought leader in this area and want to be a part of that,” share his grandsons. “It’s important that sustainability be baked into business strategy, not an afterthought. We see Georgetown as training tomorrow’s leaders in this critical field.”
The Georgetown McDonough leadership shares the Blommer family’s excitement about the new chair, which has been awarded to Vishal Agrawal, Provost’s Distinguished Lapeyere Family Associate Professor and Director of the Business of Sustainability Initiative.
“Henry Blommer and the Blommer family set an early example of the importance of sustainability in the business world by extending their care for others into their business model,” says Paul Almeida, dean and William R. Berkley Chair, McDonough School of Business. “We are pleased to introduce the Henry Blommer Chair so that our students will continue to learn from his example well into the future.”
Learn more about Professor Vishal and the Business of Sustainability Initiative.
The Blommer family’s commitment will be the first significant investment in the leadership of the Business of Sustainability Initiative at Georgetown McDonough, providing the critical resources and securing the thought leadership that will position the university as a national leader in the field.
“Our grandfather’s decision to attend Georgetown had a domino effect on our family,” says Steve Blommer. “His passion for the university was evident throughout his life so it is particularly meaningful to our family that this Chair in honor of Henry and his family to further sustainability in business is located at his alma mater which he loved so much.”