Oklahoma State University names interim director for the Boone Pickens Legacy Experience

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Media Contact: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | mack.burke_iv@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University has appointed Terry Tush as interim director of the newly completed Boone Pickens Legacy Experience, a 10,000-square-foot installation in the West End Zone complex at Boone Pickens Stadium.

The Legacy Experience serves as a tribute to T. Boone Pickens and his transformative impact on American business and OSU, featuring interactive exhibits and memorabilia that chronicle his remarkable life and achievements.

"We are pleased to welcome Terry to lead this amazing tribute that preserves and shares Mr. Pickens' extraordinary legacy," OSU President Kayse Shrum said. "The Boone Pickens Legacy Experience will inspire future generations by showcasing how one person's vision and generosity can be so transformational."

This fall, special guests and dignitaries toured the new facility, and preparations are underway to open it to the general public.

“The Boone Pickens Legacy Experience was designed by a global leader in the field with core objectives: To showcase Boone’s incredible history and accomplishments and to give OSU the tools it needs to truly leverage the school’s fundraising, its academic and athletic recruiting potential, and to put the school on a national stage,” said Jay Rosser, who serves on the Board of Directors of the T. Boone Pickens Foundation and was Pickens' longtime colleague. "Having Terry at the helm ensures that Boone's story — from his humble beginnings to his status as one of America's most visionary entrepreneurs and philanthropists — will be shared in a way that inspires future generations of Cowboys."

Tush brings an extensive background to his new position, most recently serving as the leader of marketing and communications at the OSU Spears School of Business for the past 13-plus years and including the construction and opening of the new Business Building in 2018. He expressed enthusiasm about leading the new facility.

"The Boone Pickens Legacy Experience is more than a museum — it's a testament to the power of vision, determination and giving back," Tush said. "I'm honored to help share Mr. Pickens' remarkable story and ensure that his impact on OSU continues to inspire students, alumni and visitors for generations to come."

The facility, designed by Boston-based Amaze Design, features multiple floors of exhibits, including detailed recreations of Pickens' childhood home in Holdenville, Oklahoma, his office, and the restored 1955 Ford station wagon that served as his first mobile office. The exhibition also highlights Pickens' $650 million in lifetime gifts to OSU's athletic and academic programs.

The Boone Pickens Legacy Experience stands as a testament to Pickens' remarkable journey from his humble beginnings to becoming a titan of American business and philanthropy, while emphasizing the life lessons he learned growing up in Oklahoma and during his time at OSU.

Learn more about the legacy experience at boonepickens.okstate.edu.