Two things that tend to go well together – football and beer – are the beneficiaries of a $2.2 million donation to the University of South Florida.
The gift, from Cigar City Brewing founder Joey Redner and his wife of 21 years, Jennifer, will be split to support the university’s new on-campus football stadium and a brewing arts program.
“It really boils down to my gratitude for the life I have been able to build in my hometown,” said Joey Redner, a sixth-generation Floridian, in a university press release. “USF's goals align with mine — to have a positive impact on the Tampa Bay area.”
Of the two recipients, the $340 million stadium is no hidden secret. It’s under construction on the northeast part of the Tampa campus with plans to open for the Bulls’ 2027 season.
The brewing arts program, however, is getting its due in region with a strong national reputation for craft beer-making. The $1.1 million share will enhance learning opportunities for students, USF says.
Taught from the St. Petersburg campus, the 23-week online course provides a foundational knowledge and hands-on training for brewing careers. Classes start every February and August.
The coursework goes through the entire process of brewing, from the base ingredients to the science and business of craft beer. The program, which launched in 2015, includes hands-on training in a brewery. Graduates earn a brewery arts certificate.
For the Redners, it’s a full-circle investment in beer making.
Joey Redner founded Cigar City Brewing in 2007. Boosted by partnerships with beer distributors and grocery chains, the company grew as a microbrewery boom made Tampa an industry hub. Once he deemed it too big to manage, he sold Cigar City in 2016 to Oskar Blues Brewery in Colorado.
Redner said he remains involved in the field as an investor in several small breweries. And now, he’s an investor in a program dedicated to keeping the industry strong.
“We are deeply grateful to Joey and Jennifer Redner for their generosity and vision in support of USF and the Tampa Bay community as a whole,” said Jay Stroman, CEO of the USF Foundation, the university’s nonprofit fundraising arm. “I am inspired by their commitment to elevating these exciting initiatives at USF at a time of bold growth for the university.”
The stadium gift connects the Redners with another love. They’ve been followers of the football program since it started in 1997. And his daughter, Zoey, is a huge Bulls fan.
In the press release, USF president Rhea Law expressed her appreciation for the Redners’ generosity.
“Their support will help to enrich the University of South Florida experience for our students and grow the university’s impact in the community,” she said.
