St. Pete business leader, philanthropist William R. Hough dies
April 13, 2020 - William R. "Bill" Hough, the founder of William R. Hough & Co. and a leading philanthropist in St. Petersburg, died April 11 at the age of 93. Mr. Hough founded his investment banking firm in 1962. The company specialized in municipal bonds and grew to be one of the largest financial firms in St. Petersburg before it was sold to RBC in 2004. Mr. Hough, who believed that "philanthropy is good business," gave a legacy gift that created the Hough Graduate School of Business and Hough Hall at University of Florida. Mr. Hough and his late wife Hazel, who died in August, established the Hough Family Foundation and were instrumental in the foundation and success of both Canterbury School in St. Petersburg and the Palladium. Mr. Hough also was a lifelong supporter of the Boy Scouts (Greater Tampa Bay Area Council). He is survived by a son and two daughters, along with five grandchildren and other family members. In lieu of flowers, due to the suffering created by the coronavirus, gifts may be made to the United Way Suncoast, any of the charities the Houghs supported, or to the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, according to Anderson-McQueen. See the full obituary here.