Rick Wilson officiating and signing papers with Steven and Ashley Plummer at their wedding inside the Business Building.

MSIS chair Wilson officiates first wedding at Spears

Thursday, June 22, 2023

Media Contact: Kara Pearson | Social Media Communications Specialist | 405-744-6410 | kara.pearson@okstate.edu

“I’m kind of a performer,” said Dr. Rick Wilson as he explained his recent wedding officiant role.

In May, Wilson had the honor of officiating the first wedding inside the OSU Business Building since it opened in 2018. The wedding was for staff member Steven Plummer and his new bride, Ashley.

Wilson has spent 33 years of his professional career at Spears Business, serving the last 21 years as the first department head of the Department of Management Science and Information Systems.

During the COVID-19 shutdown, Wilson started officiating weddings when two of his friends decided to marry quickly and needed an officiant. This wedding was hosted in Wilson’s home as his wife decorated their living room and served as the witness to the wedding. He then had the honor of officiating a second wedding for the same couple after protocols related to COVID-19 decreased.

The next wedding Wilson officiated was for his son and daughter-in law, Trevor and Annagrace Wilson, in Colorado. Wilson adds personality, a little flare and words of wisdom to every wedding he officiates. At two weddings, he spoke of successful UCLA men’s basketball coach John Wooden’s tenants of marriage.

Steven and Ashley Plummer attending an OSU football game.

“I try not to be a performer, but it’s just a small way in which I could use some of the skills that I've developed over time to give back," Wilson said.

Plummer already had plans that included a different officiant but those plans fell through, so he approached Wilson to ask if he would be willing to officiate. Wilson accepted the mission. The wedding party settled for a wedding date at the end of May.

Plummer wanted to have the wedding at a nearby chapel, but it was booked. Finally, the couple decided on Theta Pond on OSU’s Stillwater campus as the background for their nuptials.

On the day of the wedding, Stillwater received rain all afternoon, so the wedding had to move to a backup location, the Business Building. Wilson decided to one-up the back-up plan to the back-up plan, and he scored the keys to one of the prettiest rooms in the building, the Stephanie and Bill Sick Crystal Room on the fourth floor.

To make the ceremony even more special, Wilson worked Wooden wisdom into the nuptials.

“I enjoy playing a small role in a broader picture thing that people enjoy,” Wilson said. “Because at the end of the day I want people to have fun as well.”