Saint Joe’s alum, a former health care CEO, gives back in a big way
KYW.com

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Saint Joseph’s University has received a financial windfall from a prominent alum.

Dan Hilferty (the Irish Chamber’s 2012 Taoiseach Award honoree) was an accounting major at Saint Joseph’s, and has been a lifelong supporter of the university. Now, Hilferty and his wife Joan have given the university $2 million to support the Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support.

“It’s just an amazing thing. Saint Joseph’s was the first school in the country to develop a curriculum such as this that really addresses educating people to be caregivers in the autism space,” said Hilferty.

“It’s a need. It’s consistent with Saint Joseph’s being on the cutting edge, from food marketing to the arts and sciences, through educating those in the business world.”

Hilferty was president and CEO of Independence Health Group until his retirement in 2020. Now his former company is matching his gift.

“Independence Health Group, Independence Blue Cross is matching that gift and beginning a long-term partnership in educating individuals to help those on the autism spectrum,” he said.

“What I hope is this will enable the Kinney Center to develop an innovation center which will really work on cutting edge ways that they can educate those interested in working in the autism space.”

The Kinney Center, now in its 10th year, educates people to work in the autism community while serving and supporting people of all ages with autism spectrum disorder.