John D. Groendyke to be inducted into OSU Hall of Fame

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

The Oklahoma State University Alumni Association is excited to announce the induction of John D. Groendyke into the OSU Hall of Fame on Friday, February 13, at the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center.

Induction into the OSU Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed by Oklahoma State University. It recognizes alumni and former students with outstanding lifetime achievements in society and professional life.

John D. Groendyke of Enid, Okla., graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in business. He currently serves as the CEO and chairman of Groendyke Transport, Inc., the fifth-largest motor carrier of bulk commodities serving the continental United States, Canada and Mexico.

After graduating from OSU, Groendyke earned his law degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1969. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Army, and after a two-year tour of duty, he returned to Enid to join the family trucking operation, which was founded by his father, H.C. Groendyke, in 1932.

Groendyke has become a distinguished citizen of the state of Oklahoma serving on numerous boards and affiliations. He serves on the OG&E Energy board of directors, the board of the National Tank Truck Carriers, the board of the Wentworth Military Academy and the board of the Wentworth Military Academy Foundation. He is presently serving his sixth term as Commissioner of District #8 for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Groendyke serves as a trustee and was a past chairman for the Oklahoma Chapter of The Nature Conservancy and is a member of the board of directors of the Grand National Quail Foundation and Grand National Quail Club having served as past president and chairman of both. He is also an active member of the United Way Pillars Club, and is a founding partner of the Collectors Foundation where he shares his passion of collecting classic automobiles.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation honored Groendyke as Commissioner of the Year in 1991. He was inducted to the Spears School of Business Hall of Fame in 2008. He serves as an active member of the OSU Foundation Board of Trustees and the board for the Friends of the Oklahoma History Center. In 2011, Groendyke established the chair in the Wildlife Conservation and Natural Resource Development within the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. In 2013, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and honored with the NatureWorks Wildlife Stewardship Award. He is a life member of the OSU Alumni Association.

Groendyke and his wife, Virginia, have four children and 10 grandchildren.

The other honorees inducted into the 2015 class are Bryan Close, Frederick Drummond and Ramona Paul.

Tickets to the ceremony may be purchased online at orangeconnection.org/hof or by contacting the OSU Alumni Association at 405.744.5368. The deadline to purchase individual tickets is February 1.

For more information about the OSU Alumni Association's alumni awards program or to submit a nomination by March 15, 2015, visit orangeconnection.org/awards. This event is proudly sponsored by Standley Systems.