Photo by Caitlin Ballanos on behalf of Cart.com
Dr. Remington Tonar, Arts ’09, cofounded the e-commerce and supply chain hub cart.com, which the Financial Times has ranked in the top 10 percent of fastest-growing companies. Still, the “theologian turned entrepreneur” remains a big advocate of the humanities, as reflected in his $50,000 gift for Marquette’s Ignatian leadership and discernment minor, supporting off-site retreats and visits by influential guest speakers to
enrich student learning.
How has your embrace of the humanities differentiated your leadership from others in big tech?
Too many leaders are enamored with the technologies they develop, rather than the people who use them. In the age of AI, humanities education reminds us that human flourishing is still the goal of economic activity. The Jesuit call to be “women and men for others” reminds us that businesses should benefit society — more important in today’s technocentric world than ever before.
What’s your message to young people who feel called to the humanities but question where it will lead?
The most valuable professional skills are human. You’ll never be able to out-calculate, out-diagnose, out-trade, out-compose or out-code AI. But humans are still the best managers of other humans. They’re still the best caregivers. They’re still the best creators of culture and community. In one possible future, the humanities are the only academic discipline left in a world where AI can do everything except be human. There is nothing more important today, I posit, than an education grounded in the humanities.
Is there a standout experience from Marquette that’s stayed with you?
The last Marquette Magazine featured the long-standing relationship between the university and the city of New Orleans — forged in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. I had the privilege of participating in the MARDI GRAS service program in its early years. That experience stands out for influencing my values and worldview. The private sector, particularly the tech sector, is often disturbingly selfish and avaricious. Too few people were taught the value, both social and personal, of serving others. I am proud that at Marquette, for our students, these values are inculcated early and are hard to avoid.
From the fall 2026 issue of Marquette Magazine
This and other stories from the fall edition of Marquette Magazine are now available online. Print copies are available on campus at the Zilber Hall security desk, AMU Information Center and outside Zilber Hall 235.
