Insurance Agent Donates $20M to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

An insurance agent has left more than $20 million in his will to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, the largest gift in the facility’s history.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the Presbyterian seminary announced the gift from Robert Thomson on Tuesday.

Thomson died Sept. 22 at age 94.

Before that, he spent more than 50 years at his Thomson & Sproull Insurance agency downtown and was actively involved at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, also in the city. Thomson was the church’s treasurer and served as an usher.

William Carl, president of the seminary, said the gift came as a surprise and is the largest gift to the seminary “from anyone, living or deceased, in the over 220-year history of the school. It’s pretty amazing.”