“It’s extremely important to our family to continually give back and to show gratitude for the many ways in which our lives have been blessed and enriched.” — Ricky, IA 1996, and Lisa Novak For Ricky B. and Lisa Novak, gratitude is an action. The first
on numerous real estate and tax topics, and has written for a
member of his family to attend Georgia Tech, Novak describes
variety of industry publications. The Atlanta Bar Association
his undergraduate years as a crucial period in his life. “Tech
has awarded Novak both the Distinguished Service and
taught me many life lessons that helped mold me into the
Member of Distinction Awards.
person I am today,” Novak said. After graduating from Tech, Novak continued his education
The Novak family’s gift is a bequest provision that establishes the Novak Family Scholarship Endowment Fund,
at Emory University, where he earned a JD with a concentration
for students pursuing degrees in the Ivan Allen College
in tax, real estate, and international law. Novak completed
of Liberal Arts; the Novak Family Basketball Scholarship
additional coursework at the Jagiellonian University School of
Endowment Fund; and the Novak Family Football Scholarship
Law in Krakow, Poland and at Yale University.
Endowment Fund.
Novak is a co-managing partner of Atlanta-based Strategic Group of Companies, a diversified consulting and private equity firm that focuses on both real estate and tax mitigation,
In addition, the Novak estate plan will support the Josh Buehler Memorial Scholarship for Cheerleading. Novak credits his time at Tech for much of his career
including 1031 Exchanges, federal and state tax credit and
success and hopes his family’s generous gift “can help make
deduction strategies, Opportunity Zone investments, and real
even the smallest difference in the Institute’s academic and
estate private equity. He is a nationally recognized speaker
athletic programs.”
Founders’ Council is the honorary society recognizing donors who have made estate or life-income gifts of $25,000 or more for the support of Georgia Tech. For more information, please contact: 404.894.4678 • founderscouncil@dev.gatech.edu • gatech.giftplans.org