More Wind in Columbia’s Sails

For Frank Rinaldi ’99SEAS, Columbia was a place of exploration and growth. He was the co-captain of the sailing team program and also met his wife of now more than ten years. To help make a long-term impact on the University and the program that made such an impact on him, Frank decided to make a bequest to the Columbia sailing program.

Starting college can feel like a sink or swim situation. For Frank, it was sink or sail.

“I discovered competitive sailing my first semester,” he recalls. “The same person who first showed me around Columbia knew some of the sailors, and they needed someone for a regatta. They kind of threw me in a boat and sent me on my way!

“Giving is about the next generation and
ensuring potential success, whether it’s giving
to a niche interest like the sailing program,
to a department, or to a whole school.”

“We sailed down the East Coast from Maine to Virginia. Before Columbia, I had never been out of Cincinnati, Ohio. I thought sailing was the coolest way to see a lot of places I had only read about.”

While at Columbia, Frank was co-captain of the sailing program, ran a freshman orientation program, and met his future wife, Megumi Shibata Rinaldi ’99CC. Since graduation, Frank has worked as a technology consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers. He lives in New York City with Megumi and their 5-year-old daughter.

“At Columbia, I really got to grow and explore who I wanted to be as an adult," Frank says. "So, I still work with the sailing program. I help raise funds for them, and I try to make sure that they're doing the right thing for the long-term.”

Frank imagines that one day his contributions will fund coaches and equipment to make Columbia even more competitive.

“When my wife and I put our wills together, we each made Columbia one of the beneficiaries—and I wanted mine to have a certain percentage going to the sailing team directly," he explains. "A bequest forces you to plan. It’s pain-free for now, and I know that further down the line I can be more generous. It’s an easy way to give.”

He adds, “Thinking about how you can help others as they grow up, is very meaningful. A gift doesn’t just help Columbia, it helps you. I’m a big believer in karma and it’s just part of kind of completing that karmic circle.

“Giving is about the next generation and ensuring potential success, whether it’s giving to a niche interest like the sailing program, to a department, or to a whole school. I expect the world to be a better place when I move on. And if I don’t start now, when will I?”