哔咔漫画

By Dave Scheiber

Their road in life has unfolded in storybook fashion, starting with the humblest of roots in the desolate, Dust Bowl landscape of Arkansas and Oklahoma.

It entwines a quintessential American success story: A shared tale involving a ramshackle home with no running water or electricity to working with three U.S. presidents, building one of the nation's top car dealership businesses and 鈥� most notably of all 鈥� a marital partnership that has enriched a myriad of educational, medical and cultural institutions with a long list of transformative philanthropic endeavors.

The enduring impact Frank and Carol Morsani have had in the Tampa Bay area and beyond was commemorated Monday in spectacular fashion 鈥� a surprise party held fittingly at the in downtown Tampa to celebrate their legacy of generosity.

The event was a joint show of appreciation hosted by representatives of four area institutions the Morsanis have supported over the years: USF, the University of Tampa, Moffitt Cancer Center and the Straz Center for the Performing Arts 鈥� each shared stories about how the Morsani's generosity has impacted their lives, careers and community. Through a video message, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor proclaimed the day Frank and Carol Morsani Day in the city of Tampa.

The Morsanis were visibly touched by the show of love inside the building that they helped make possible with a generous gift in 2011 鈥� just one of numerous examples of their transformative philanthropic support of organizations throughout the area.

鈥淭his is such a great city and a great place to live 鈥� to see the change and the positive things that have come and are still coming, it鈥檚 all moving in the right direction,鈥� Frank said. 鈥淲e never get through setting examples, no matter what we do in life, that鈥檚 our obligation 鈥� leaving this world in a better place than we found it. We鈥檙e proud of the things we鈥檝e been able to do, and it has been a wonderful experience.鈥�

"Countless lives have been improved because of Frank and Carol Morsani's vision and leadership, and their passion for making lives better has helped elevate several programs at the 哔咔漫画 and in our communities," said USF President Rhea Law. "Together, the Morsanis have been catalysts for positive change and growth across the Tampa Bay region, and we thank them for their extraordinary generosity and service."

The couple will celebrate their 73rd wedding anniversary on Feb. 9, and both turn 93 this year. Their journey together in impacting countless people and organizations started with a twist of fate.

Frank grew up in a one-bedroom home helping run his parents鈥� farm in Oklahoma. He met Carol in high school and went together to the senior prom. They lost touch as they both headed off, unknowingly, to the university later known as Oklahoma State. It wasn鈥檛 until the spring semester in 1950 that they ran into each other while Frank was standing on a campus street corner. 

The rest is Morsani history, the start of an amazing bond that has enhanced opportunities for others, guided by a principle that Frank has spoken about often. 

鈥淭he way I see it is that we live our life in thirds,鈥� he once explained. 鈥淚n the first third, we learn. That鈥檚 when we get our education from books and in life. The second third, we earn. We work and invest and live our lives. And in the final third, we return. Carol and I are returning our treasures to those we care about.鈥�

One of their main beneficiaries has been USF, where they rank as one of the university鈥檚 all-time top donors with gifts that have paved the way to an array of landmarks, including the state-of-the-art USF Health Morsani College of Medicine building, the Carol and Frank Morsani Center for Advanced Healthcare and the Frank Morsani Football Practice Complex.

鈥淭he kindness of Frank and Carol that they demonstrate every day makes them the living embodiment of our mission statement. They are truly 鈥楳aking Life Better,鈥欌�� said Dr. Charly Lockwood, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine.

They have also shared their wealth in support of the Straz Center, previously known as the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, with the named world-class Carol Morsani Hall. They鈥檝e also supported Moffitt Cancer Center where Carol served on the Foundation Board and chaired the Research Committee and made estate gifts to the University of Tampa, resulting in the naming of the residential hall and student center as Frank and Carol Morsani Hall and the naming of the Morsani Honors College.

Frank is a Korean War veteran who served in the U.S. Navy and saw active combat on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Antietam. It was on the ship that he developed his management style. His automotive career began as a service trainer for Ford Motors 鈥� later becoming a hugely successful owner of 30 dealerships nationwide, including the area鈥檚 first successful Toyota dealership.

He gradually became a national voice for small business, working with three presidential administrations (Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush), and was later elected as chairman of the board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 

Carol has made her own mark as a leader and passionate supporter of initiatives in higher education, medicine and the arts. She spent the early part of adulthood raising two daughters, Susie and Leann. Among her many other contributions, Carol served as founding member of the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, founder of USF鈥檚 Women in Leadership & Philanthropy and has held many civic volunteer posts.

More of their life story can be found in the 2015 memoir,