Pitt honored the Tansky family’s dedication to the University with a space in Hillman Library

For more than five decades, the Tansky name has been a fixture on the University's Pittsburgh campus, and in honor of the family's most recent $750,000 gift to the University Library System, it will forever be part of the Hillman Library.

Pitt will celebrate the naming of the Tansky Family Commons on the main floor of the newly renovated library. It echoes the space on the first floor of the William Pitt Union that also carries the Tansky name. The University officially dedicated the space on Sept. 25.

The most recent gift was made in honor of Burt Tansky by Trustee Emeritus Eva Tansky Blum (A&S '70, LAW '73) along with the Tansky Family Foundation, which includes Burt's wife, Rita J. Tansky. The new fund will provide support for student experiential learning, technology-rich spaces within the library and unique special collections.

"The Tansky family is synonymous with supporting the human potential," said Chancellor Joan Gabel. "Burt and Eva's example of unyielding hard work, integrity, impact and commitment to others not only resonates with us today but will continue to resonate and inspire generations of Pitt students and alums for years to come. We are so grateful for their support and incredible legacy."

After graduating from Pitt with a degree in history, Burt (A&S '61) went to work at Kaufmann's department store, which was the first stop in a long and celebrated career in retail management that included positions at Filene's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and, ultimately, Neiman Marcus, from which he retired as CEO in 2010.

"Burt's passion for Pitt was so all-encompassing that it is very fitting that he would be honored in Hillman Library, which serves as a crossroads for all students," said Kornelia Tancheva, director of the University Library System. "The commons that will carry the Tansky name was created as part of the recent renovation of the library and became an immediate favorite of the students."