Early Life
Elisabeth DeLuca, born in 1947, grew up in Connecticut. Before her involvement in Subway, she was a nurse. She graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1969 with a nursing degree. She began her nursing career at Bridgeport Hospital, later working in the surgical intensive care unit at the West Haven Veterans Affairs hospital.
Rise to Success
Her rise to wealth came through her marriage to Fred DeLuca, who co-founded Subway. After Fred's death in 2015, Elisabeth inherited his 50% stake in the company. In 2024, she and the Buck family sold Subway to Roark Capital for $9.6 billion.
Key Business Strategies
While Elisabeth DeLuca was not directly involved in the operational strategies of Subway, her role as a major shareholder allowed her to influence the company's direction. The sale to Roark Capital in 2024 marked a significant strategic shift, moving the company away from family ownership. The sale is expected to inject an estimated $3.4 billion in cash into DeLuca’s family’s coffers, potentially fueling further philanthropic initiatives.
Philanthropy
Elisabeth DeLuca is known for her extensive philanthropy, primarily focusing on education, healthcare, and conservation. She has directed at least $710 million towards family foundations between 2015 and 2021. In 2020, she gifted 27,000 acres of land in Florida, valued at $140 million, to the University of Florida. In October 2023, she donated $40 million to the University of Connecticut for a new nursing school facility. In November 2024, she donated $50 million to UConn's School of Nursing. She has earmarked $850 million of her fortune to fund preservation and education initiatives. She is also the president of the Elisabeth C. DeLuca Foundation and the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation.
