Philanthropy | Giving Masters: Ed and Susan Maier and Florida Studio Theatre

By Joanna Fox | Photo by Nancy Guth | November 2024

Sometimes, what once got us in trouble in our youth ends up being the very thing that plays a role in positively shaping our future. Such was the case with Ed Maier and the game of bridge he discovered in his freshman year at Denison University, a leading liberal arts college in Granville, Ohio. 

After learning the game, his attention and time fell from academics to the social aspects of the game; instead of spending time in the classroom, he spent his time in the student union. The result of that semester was four F’s—not enough to keep him in school. Not only was he kicked out of school, but his father refused to pay for any further education.  Ed left home and eventually ended up living at the YMCA.

Fast forward through years of hard work at low-paying jobs and finally graduating college on his own dime (where he continued to improve his game of bridge), Ed collaborated with his father on a successful business plan for one of the family’s mismanaged companies and established himself in the Maier enterprise. Before age 30, Ed was made a member of the board of the Maier Foundation, where he learned first-hand, by watching the best—his dad. “I learned the pleasure and joy of giving money away responsibly,” said Ed.

Over the years, the foundation made an indelible mark on the Charleston, West Virginia, area in the fields of education, medicine, and the arts. Each project is evidence that the foundation, first under Ed’s father, William, and then under Ed’s direction, followed the teaching of his grandmother, Sarah Maier, to do good with all the money you can spare.

Susan Maier, Ed’s wife, arranged a surprise 60^th birthday party for him at the now-defunct Colony Beach and Tennis Resort on Longboat Key. It was the perfect place for these two tennis lovers to consider the area for their retirement years. There was tennis. It was below the freeze line. Plus, the second largest bridge club in the United States was here, which was important as Ed had continued playing and winning in duplicate bridge over the years.  He had established himself as a Life Master. Susan had taken up the game and is herself close to becoming a Life Master.

Shortly after moving to Sarasota in 2021, Susan and Ed became close friends, at the bridge table, with Fran Mann and Mel Weisel, who introduced them to the arts in Sarasota and to Florida Studio Theatre in particular. Their first FST visit was to a cabaret show which greatly impressed Ed. He had questions. “Where do they get all these good actors?” “Who is this group?”  “Do they play here all the time?”

He came to find out that FST selects the best performers and actors from New York, California, locally, and from all over. Every cabaret show they attended was equally entertaining. While other aspects of FST were good, cabaret was the real draw for the Maiers. This led Ed to comment to Susan, “I think this organization may be worthwhile to help out.” And that is just what the Maier’s have done.

Their first project with FST was suggested by then Development Officer, Steve Tereci. At that time, the city was going to remove Auguste Moreau’s Butterfly Lady sculpture reproduction on the median of Cocoanut Avenue, but it “belongs here at Keating Theatre. The problem is it would cost $40,000 to buy it, move it, and set it on a pedestal on the terrace of the Keating.”  With Ed’s “okay,” that gift began the relationship between Ed and Susan Maier and Florida Studio Theatre.

Of course, FST is more than the Butterfly Lady sculpture and cabaret performances. It is a campus that houses five theaters: Mainstage, Cabaret, Stage III, Children’s Theatre, FST School, New Play Development, and FST Improv performing 52 weeks a year. There’s even a restaurant. It has grown from 160 subscriptions to the largest subscription theater in the state of Florida and among the largest in the country, reaching 230,000 attendees each year.

Richard Hopkins, FST’s Producing Artistic Director, has said throughout the years, “If the community wants it, they will pay for it.” That has proven true over the years and still holds today, as evidenced by the public’s response to the generous challenge match gift Ed and Susan Maier made of $4,000,000 toward the Arts Plaza.

The challenge is a dollar-for-dollar matching fund to name the Arts Plaza after Dennis and Graci McGillicuddy in honor of their involvement and service to FST over the past 33 years. Dennis serves on the Board of Trustees and Graci has been involved with FST since the late 80’s. The Arts Plaza had previously been named for Pat and Mary Mulva in recognition of their leadership gift. 

Upon their relocation to Texas, Pat and Mary Mulva surprised everyone at FST’s 50th Anniversary Shindig by announcing that they were donating the naming rights of the building and the Mainstage Theatre back to FST. It was at this event that the Maiers were inspired to make an additional gift in recognition of the McGillicuddys. Ed speaks to the selfless contribution on behalf of himself and his wife, Susan, stating, “I’m not sure Susan and I would have done this had the Mulvas not given up the naming opportunity. We wanted to make sure that Dennis and Graci received the proper recognition for all that they have done for Florida Studio Theatre for the last 33 years.” 

“This Maier challenge match gift started a fire and reignited the entire campaign. We are up to $3.4 million. We have been receiving up to 20 gifts a day,” Richard said. 

“People are not giving to the bricks and mortar building, they are giving to the mission of who we are to this community,” shared Rebecca Hopkins, the Managing Director for Florida Studio Theatre. “The generosity of spirit in wanting to honor the McGillicuddys is contagious. Summer giving is generally slow, but not this summer.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION or to donate to the challenge match, please contact FST Director of Development Matthew Glover at MGlover@floridastudiotheatre.org or call 941.366.9017.