Two alumni elected to Brandeis University Board of Trustees
The Brandeis University Board of Trustees, the institution’s governing body, elected Ronald Ratner ’69 and Daniel Blumenthal ’85 as new members.
“I am delighted to welcome Daniel and Ron to the Brandeis University Board of Trustees,” said board chair Meyer G. Koplow, P’02, P’05. “They will both bring a tremendous wealth of experience in service to their alma mater after making notable contributions in business and nonprofit leadership.”
“Ron brings great wisdom from his experience in real estate and the nonprofit sector to the board, and Daniel brings deep expertise in management and private equity,” said President Ronald Liebowitz. “I am pleased and grateful that they are joining the Brandeis Board of Trustees.”
Ronald Ratner ’69 is the owner of Max Collaborative, a company that designs living spaces ranging from affordable housing units to luxury properties, and serves as a partner with RMS Investment Group, a $1 billion family office and real estate company.
Ratner has already given back to Brandeis in many ways since graduating in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts in history. This is Ratner’s second stint as a trustee, having also sat on the board from 1993-2013. During his term, he served on the university’s Budget and Finance Committee (2008-12), Institutional Advancement Committee (2009-12), Physical Facilities Committee (2009-12), and the Executive Committee (2009-12). Ratner was also a member of the 40th Reunion Committee and chaired the 30th Reunion Gift Committee.
In 2016, President Barack Obama appointed Ratner to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s museum council. Ratner is also a trustee with the Cleveland Clinic and the Enterprise Institute; a former trustee at The Ohio State University; and former director at the National Multifamily Housing Council, Akron Art Museum, Menorah Park, and Park Synagogue.
Daniel Blumenthal ’85 co-founded Blue River Partners Management LLC, a private equity firm whose leading portfolio company is Blue River Petcare, which manages a network of more than 90 hospitals for companion animals across 23 states.
Previously, Blumenthal was a Managing Partner of Chicago-based private equity firm, Willis Stein & Partners (2005-2007) and a founding partner of Willis Stein. During his tenure, he led the build-up investment of National Veterinary Associates, which grew from 22 hospitals in 1997 to 96 hospitals when it was sold to Summit Partners in 2007 for $128M.
He has served as an independent director of several portfolio companies, including ANSYS, Inc and Ziff Davis Holdings, Inc. Prior to Willis Stein, Blumenthal was Vice President of Continental Illinois Venture Corporation (1993-1994) and a corporate tax attorney with Latham & Watkins (1988-1993).
Blumenthal is a former member of the Teach for America board of directors.
Blumenthal has several personal connections to Brandeis beyond his own graduation in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, in economics and history.
His mother, Violet Silverman, is a former Brandeis National Committee member. His sisters, Ellen Blumenthal ’76 and Barbara Blumenthal Ehrlich ’89, as well as his cousin, Roberta Blumenthal Silberklang ’79, are all Brandeis alumnae.
