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On Returning to Philly
In choosing a place to be dean, Robertson said that not only was the school culture critical, but also the city and lifestyle. The couple is now renting an apartment in Rittenhouse Square until their home in the Buckhead section of Atlanta sells.
“Given that our children are no longer home, we are giving city living a try,” Robertson said. “In Atlanta, we lived in the suburbs, and when we were at Wharton before, we lived in Bryn Mawr.”
“Now, it’s pleasant to be in an apartment and be able to lock the door and walk out and not have to worry about the landscaping
and the pool and to be able to walk to restaurants,” Robertson said. “And we live just 18 blocks from the university.”
With their three children grown, the timing was right for a return. Their son, Brian, graduated from Penn in 1991 and received
a Wharton MBA in 1996. Brian is married to Wharton 1997 MBA graduate, Fatma Ozcan Robertson, and they live in London. The Robertsons’ older daughter, Ashley, graduated
from Emory, is married to J.K. Givens, and also lives in London. Their younger daughter, Alexandra, recently graduated
from Emory and lives in Atlanta. “We have many friends now who are in Philadelphia, and that makes it very pleasant to come back. Philly has a lot going for it and a lot more in the way of culture than most American cities. And it’s a faster pace, and more action-oriented, which I like.”
“We’re both very excited about this move,” added Diana Robertson. “It’s really just a fantastic opportunity and I am thrilled to be back at Wharton and in Philadelphia.”
Outside the Office
In his spare time, Robertson enjoys playing tennis, running four to five times a week, or going to the gym. Outside of work, the couple enjoys theater and art, and Tom Robertson enjoys reading the classics.
Thomas W. Dunfee, the Kolodny Chair of Social Responsibility in Business at Wharton, met Tom Robertson when Dunfee joined the Wharton staff in 1974. For many years, the Robertsons organized faculty and spouse mixed doubles games, followed by dinner. Dunfee also has played singles with Tom Robertson.
“He had a great forehand and I had a great backhand, and we would play to each others weaknesses,” Dunfee said. He declined to say who was the better player: “We each won enough to keep it interesting.”
Dunfee has jogged with Tom Robertson and recalls the pair sometimes creating an incongruous scene.
“I can remember several times we would go for a run in London, after which Tom would want to get a cappuccino,” Dunfee said. “We would go into a little tea shop mid-morning
and there would be these older English ladies having their morning tea. And then these two guys would come in all sweaty, in shorts, and the women would just look at us.”
“It shows the importance of that cappuccino,” Dunfee said. “I doubt that there are many people who have a cappuccino
after a run.”
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