Gainesville, FL – December 2025 – The Collier Companies Announces Landmark $1 Million Charitable Contribution to UF to Support Breakthrough Potential Universal Cancer Vaccine
The Collier Companies is proud to announce a landmark $1 million investment by University of Florida Foundation National Board Life Members Nathan S. Collier, Founder of The Collier Companies, and Ken & Linda McGurn to advance groundbreaking cancer-research at the University of Florida. This philanthropic commitment is helping accelerate what could become one of the most significant medical innovations of our time: a potential universal, off-the-shelf cancer vaccine.
UF researchers recently uncovered that a common, everyday vaccine can activate the immune system to target and attack cancer cells — an extraordinary finding that has captured national attention for its promise and potential impact. This pioneering work, led by Dr. Elias Sayour, is now progressing toward clinical trials, fueled in part by the generosity of donors who believe deeply in the power of bold ideas and life-changing discovery.
At The Collier Companies, we believe that strengthening communities means investing not only in homes, but in the health, longevity, and well-being of the people who live in them. We are honored to support research that could transform lives, bring hope to families, and elevate the future of healthcare for generations to come.
As this discovery moves into its next phase, The Collier Companies remains steadfast in our belief that transformational progress begins with courageous ideas — and with the partners willing to champion them.
About The Collier Companies:
Headquartered in Gainesville, Florida, The Collier Companies is a 50+ year old multifamily owner/manager with communities in Florida and Georgia that develops exclusively for its own account. The Collier Companies’ portfolio is comprised of over 13,000 apartment homes. Founded by Nathan S. Collier in 1972, The Collier Companies is unique in its dedication to its Communities, Residents and Team Members as evidenced by its distinctive long term hold period and its Mission Statement: Proudly making your home the heart of our business while proudly supporting Team Members to become their best selves.
Nathan S. Collier is best known for endowing the University of Florida’s Nathan S. Collier Master of Science in Real Estate Program, consistently ranked #1 for public universities. Nathan also founded the Collier Prize for State Government Accountability through the UF’s College of Journalism & Communication, making the largest gift ever received to the College to fund investigative journalism. The Collier Prize is awarded annually at the White House Correspondent Association Dinner in Washington, D.C. He also founded The Peter F. Collier Award for Ethics in Journalism, administered by the NYU Carter Journalism Institute’s Ethics and Journalism Initiative (EJI). In addition to being a CPA and a Building Contractor, Nathan S. Collier is a proud triple Gator, with a bachelor’s in finance, an MBA, and a JD. A devout believer in continuous education, Nathan S. Collier is a graduate of HBS’s OPM25 as well as having attended Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation and continues to annually take a week of ExecEd at HBS through CEO. Nathan S. Collier currently teaches both Leadership as well as Real Estate Finance, Development, and Investment at the University of Florida’s Levin School of Law and at the Warrington College of Business.
The Collier Companies continues its 2X journey to double in size in the coming decade with exciting developments in progress, each project designed to reflect our commitment to quality, innovation, and community. As part of this momentum, we are actively progressing toward the completion of 4,345 apartment homes. Of these, 2,232 homes have been completed, 1,504 are currently under construction, and 1,213 are in development. Upcoming communities include Monarch in Fort Myers, FL, Verve in Wesley Chapel, FL, Elora in Vero Beach, FL, Azure in Pompano Beach, FL, Nova at One Nexton in Summerville, SC, and a community in Naples, FL.
For more information about The Collier Companies, please visit colliercompanies.com. Nathan Collier has blogged on personal and professional leadership twice a week for over 15 years at NSCBlog.com
