Larry Connor, a nationally recognized entrepreneur and non-profit investor with $5 billion in real estate assets across 17 U.S. markets, will receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Dayton. His contributions extend beyond business — fueling education, scientific research and space exploration.

The honor will be awarded during UD's spring undergraduate commencement ceremony at 9:45 a.m. Sunday, May 11, at the University of Dayton Arena.

"Larry Connor is a unique and highly accomplished person with a deep love for people in the Miami Valley and the University of Dayton," said UD President Eric F. Spina. "He is a highly successful businessman who has turned that success into philanthropy that touches many lives in the Dayton region and supports the civic fabric of our region.  

"His life embodies values we strive to instill in our students — leadership, innovation and a commitment to serving others. We are honored to recognize his extraordinary achievements."

In 1992, Larry Connor founded what would later become The Connor Group — a real estate investment firm that has grown from a single property into a $5 billion portfolio. Today, The Connor Group is nationally recognized as a top workplace and a high-performing firm — earning honors from outlets like Inc., Glassdoor, and The American Business Awards.

"Education matters. Whether grade schools, high schools or colleges, the future of our community, state and nation rests with quality education. To be recognized by the University of Dayton, a leading educational institution, is an honor," said Connor.

Connor's impact extends far beyond business. He founded The Connor Group Kids & Community Partners, a non-profit dedicated to transforming the lives of under-resourced youth in the same communities where The Connor Group operates.

The organization has led wide-reaching efforts, from disaster relief and scholarship programs to toy drives and internet access for students during the pandemic. In 2019, it created the Oregon District Victims Relief Fund, which distributed $262,000 directly to victims and their families. During COVID-19, the group quickly secured $1 million in Wi-Fi access for Dayton Public Schools students lacking connectivity for remote learning.

Connor also established and fully funds The Greater Dayton School, Ohio's first private non-religious school for under-resourced students. In a deeply personal initiative, he co-founded Colin's Lodge with his son, Colin — a recreation and enrichment center designed for adults with cognitive differences.

Colin, born with Down syndrome, works in the University of Dayton athletics equipment room and, in Larry's words, "eats, sleeps and breathes all things Flyers." That deep connection inspired Connor to become the lead investor in the university's basketball arena renovation — the largest capital project in UD history — and to rally other community partners in support.

Connor's passion for science and innovation extends into space and medicine. He is a key partner in global aging initiatives with the Mayo Clinic and funds groundbreaking spine and hypertension research through the Cleveland Clinic. In 2022, Connor earned NASA astronaut certification. He piloted the Ax-1 mission to the International Space Station — taking both partnerships off the planet, literally — to conduct medical experiments in microgravity as part of a historic, all-private flight.

Connor's relentless pursuit of the extraordinary doesn't end with business or philanthropy. In addition to conducting medical research aboard the International Space Station, he's completed three dives to the deepest parts of Earth's oceans — becoming the first person in history to reach both space and the ocean's depths within a single year. He also led a U.S. Air Force pararescue team in a record-setting HALO skydive that raised more than $1 million for families of fallen soldiers. 

His mission is simple: chase the impossible — and bring others with him.

Learn more about Larry Connor and The Connor Group here.

For more information regarding the University of Dayton's commencement ceremonies or UD interviews, contact Shawn Robinson, associate director of news and communications, at 937-229-3391, 937-545-5421 or srobinson1@udayton.edu. For additional information regarding or interview requests for Larry Connor, including a picture, contact Chris Riva, Connor Group vice president of communications, at criva@connorgroup.com or 937-434-3095.