Larry and Sally Sears have been dedicated to education for most of their lives. For Larry’s part, he joined Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Engineering as an adjunct instructor following the 2006 sale of his electronics company, Hexagram, Inc. Sally earned a master’s in library science, leading to a chair emerita position at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Larry and Sally Sears.Larry and Sally Sears’ commitment to learning extends to philanthropy as well. In September, the couple provided a $1.5 million gift to Holden Forests & Gardens to support expansion of the Long Center for Plant & Environmental Science at Holden Arboretum in Kirtland. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027 and will include new research laboratories, public engagement spaces, and collaborative work environments.

Ideally, the project will bolster Holden’s science programming while placing a spotlight on global conservation, says Larry Sears, citing the classic “teach a person to fish” proverb as his personal blueprint for educating others.

“Presenting [conservation work] is one thing, but this is about teaching people to appreciate it,” says Sears, a Hunting Valley resident. “Give people a deeper experience about what’s happening in science, and they will take it from there.”

Sears developed an early connection to the outdoors during fishing trips with his dad while growing up in Shaker Heights. As a father himself, Sears took his children to the Holden Arboretum for classes on local plants and other nature-related topics.

Those outings not only inspired one of the Sears children to pursue landscape architecture as a career but also underscored the importance of Holden’s role in the community, he notes.

“We saw how the arboretum evolved over the years,” Sears says. “We’d go to the annual plant sales and even saw how the signage along the trails was getting better. Plus, there was room for larger-scale improvement in everything. When you see these facilities growing, you tend to want to build on that trend.”

Holden's Long Center for Plant & Environmental Science.In recent years, the Kirtland institution secured $350,000 in state capital funding to revamp guest spaces, including expanded capacity for visiting school groups. Holden officials are also considering updating admissions practices to reduce vehicle queues for guests.

As for the 10,000-square-foot science center expansion, the organization has unveiled renderings

conceptualized by Cleveland-based Bostwick Design Partnership. When complete, the addition will further enhance the center as a hub for research and public learning, says Holden president and CEO Ed Moydell.

In recognition of their generosity, the first floor will be named in honor of Sally and Larry Sears, adds Moydell.

“We’re deeply grateful to Sally and Larry for this gift,” said Moydell in a statement to FreshWater Cleveland. “It expands our conservation and research programs and gives our scientists and students the space they need to push their work forward. It also brings more of that work into view for visitors—creating new opportunities to learn and engage. From the beginning, the arboretum has been rooted in the idea that experiencing nature inspires people. The new science center will strengthen that connection and support the health of trees, forests, and communities for generations.”

The lab in the Long Center for Plant & Environmental Science.The project arrives at a critical juncture both for Holden and science education at large, says Sears. The long-time educator points to federal funding cuts throwing American scientific research into chaos.

Amid this climate of uncertainty, Sears says investing in a renowned educational institution is a defense against these mounting attacks.

“What can you do?” Sears says. “Buy a boat or support something that, at least around the edges, will help with what’s going on? Maybe you’ll have people motivated to become researchers. It goes back to the impact of education.”