Minick Materials Gives 'Green' Gift to OSU-OKC

Monday, June 1, 2009

(STILLWATER, Okla., May 28, 2009) – Oklahoma City-based Minick Materials, one of the largest landscape material distributors in the region, recently committed about $70,000 to Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City to help make the campus more environmentally friendly.
 
Minick Materials made its commitment in 2008 in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Since then, the company has donated $42,000 worth of materials including a rain-water harvesting system to capture run-off, cycle it though a water aeration system before it is filtered to an underground holding tank that will supply water for an above ground water feature. In addition to the materials, the company donated 562 hours of labor and committed a future gift of $25,000 in additional funding.
 
What Minick has given OSU-OKC reaches far beyond an appealing landscape; the project is placing the campus at the forefront of environmentally friendly building and water conservation. That is important to the campus, according to Dave Edwards, agriculture technologies division head at OSU-OKC.
 
“OSU-OKC has been studying energy conservation,” Edwards said. “We’ve been working with consultants to help transform our campus to be much more energy efficient. We started the ‘green theme’ with buildings, but this (gift) helps us move into the landscape areas as well.”
 
Sam Minick, vice president and owner of Minick Materials, is responsible for the decision to give to OSU. His relationship with OSU-OKC started in the 1980s when he was a student, and though he did not earn a degree, he earned a valuable education and experience in the field that he partly attributes to his business’ success.
 
“OSU-OKC opened up doors for partnerships in my industry, provided me with practical training experience and taught me how to survive in business,” Minick said. “I felt I needed to give something back to the college.”
 
In recognition of Minick Materials’ support, OSU-OKC will name a classroom after Sam Minick’s parents, Kenneth and Nova, who founded Minick Materials in 1958.
 
As the company continues to diversify and provide green solutions for landscaping and water conservation in Oklahoma and the surrounding region, OSU-OKC hopes to continue benefiting from its knowledge, expertise and friendship.