On March 13, the cafe at Fertitta Hall was officially renamed the Chad Tons Family Café, in honor of the generous gift from USC Marshall alumnus Chad Tons ’97.

“My relationship with Marshall has remained strong over the years — between internships and participating in various marketing classes,” Tons said. “I can’t express how excited I am to introduce an engaging environment like the Chad Tons Family Café where the students can eat, congregate and network.”

Tons is the CEO and principal owner of Infinity Marketing Team, an immersive marketing agency known for its bold and innovative campaigns. Under Tons’ leadership, the agency has created some of the most daring and original marketing campaigns, including HP Regen at Coachella 2022, State Farm Gamerhood, and, most recently,the fake Arnold Schwarzenegger State Farm movie ads featured at Super Bowl LVIII.

Through student internships at Infinity, guest lectures in Marshall classrooms, and most notably as the keynote speaker of the 2024 Marshall Leadership Summit, Tons is active with the Marshall community and has sought to give back. The cafe, however, holds a special place in Tons’ heart.

“[I’m] incredibly excited for what’s behind us here,” Tons said in his remarks, referring to the cafe. “To be able to bring this to life: A location, a space, a portal, in essence, where you’re going to have students that are going to be able to mingle, network, and, of course, study and eat all in one — it means a lot.”

Standing among members of the Spirit of Troy, the Trojan Marching Band, Marshall Dean Geoffrey Garrett thanked Tons for his generous gift and marveled at the founder’s enthusiasm for his alma mater.

“The fact that you are willing to give back and to give back in such a tangible way to the school by honoring us with your name and supporting all that we do by naming this cafe — that’s an incredible thing for us,” Garrett said. “On behalf of the school, I say thank you. Congratulations … Fight On.”

In addition to the commemoration of the cafe, Tons was inducted into the Marshall School Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame, the members of which are displayed on the walls in Fertitta Hall.

“I’m extremely humbled to be included in the Marshall School Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame,” Tons said. “To be a part of a collection of such revolutionary and groundbreaking leaders is truly an honor.”

With family and friends by his side, the USC Marshall School of Business stripped back a belt of black fabric, revealing the cafe’s new namesake: Chad Tons.

“Family, food, USC, Marshall School of Business, entrepreneurship — my favorite things all rolled together, or I should probably say all ‘sushi rolled’ together,” Tons joked. “Thank you guys so much for today.”