OSU regent donates $250,000 for professorship in Spears School of Business

Monday, July 14, 2008

Gift will create the Greg Massey Professorship in Finance

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(STILLWATER, Okla. July 14, 2008) - Oklahoma State University announced today a $250,000 gift from Durant, Okla. resident Greg Massey to create a finance professorship at OSU.  Once fully matched dollar-for-dollar by T. Boone Pickens’ $100 million chair match commitment, as well as the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the gift will have the impact of $1 million in endowed funds.
 
The current president and CEO of First United Bank in Trust, Massey received a finance degree from OSU in 1987. A current member of the OSU A&M Board of Regents, his gift creates the Greg Massey Professorship in Finance located within the Spears School of Business.
 
“The response from our alumni and friends has exceeded our wildest expectations,” said OSU President Burns Hargis.  “Inspired by Boone Pickens’ astounding generosity, donors answered the call to make a lasting difference and open a new and exciting chapter at OSU.  We sincerely appreciate everything Greg is doing for OSU and want to say a special thanks for this important gift.”  
 
In order to take full advantage of the state’s dollar-for-dollar match, and make the most significant impact on OSU academics, Massey made the gift prior to the July 1 change in the state’s endowed chair matching program.  This gift is part of the $66.8 million in endowed faculty gifts OSU announced recently.   
 
“I made the gift to the Spears School of Business because of the impact the Business School, and OSU, had on my career and life,” said Massey. “I hope by providing support to retain and recruit the best possible faculty, future students may also have an outstanding experience at OSU. It is a great Business School and university. Positive change is happening at OSU.”
 
Jean Van Delinder, chair of the OSU Faculty Council, said, “OSU is poised for growth and further prominence but to realize its full potential we must continue to attract and retain top scholars and researchers. These chairs highlight the important role that scholarship and teaching play at Oklahoma State University, and they are made possible through the generous support of donors who value excellence in scholarship and want to help OSU continue to nurture a strong faculty.”
 
Endowed professorships and chairs are academic designations which provide support for faculty salary, graduate assistantships, equipment and research needs, as well as other support.  These endowed faculty positions allow a university to attract and retain the best and the brightest academic minds in the world.