Give to the The Balanoff Family Endowed Scholarship

The Balanoff Family Endowed Scholarship honors the distinguished real estate career of Gary Balanoff. He entered the field in 1984, working with homeowners and homebuyers. Within three years he entered management of a real estate company. He purchased his first company in partnership a few years later, eventually growing it as a sole owner and starting two other companies with different financial structures for agents.  

Gary and Janet remember fondly the story of a city commissioner in Gainesville who noticed a couple weeding the flower bed at a city park entrance. When he asked them about it, they simply said, "It needed it." That couple was Gary's late parents, helping without credit, Dr. Neal and Lillian Balanoff.

Gary and Janet Balanoff chose this form of philanthropy, direct assistance to students, as a way to honor Gary's parents. They quietly and without fanfare made funds available to support causes they believed in. Gary and Janet found that educating students had a direct and positive effect on the economic vitality of Central Florida. The idea of students flourishing with their Seminole State credential represents their intent. 

This scholarship provides tuition assistance to students pursuing a degree in business, who possess a minimum 2.8 GPA and demonstrate financial need.