Philanthropists, civic leaders named OSU in Tulsa Icons

Thursday, February 2, 2017

An Oklahoma State Regent for Higher Education, a prominent Tulsa charitable organization and a generous philanthropist who left his mark on the city have been selected as 2017 OSU in Tulsa Icons by Oklahoma State University-Tulsa and OSU Center for Health Sciences for their contributions to the university, the state of Oklahoma and the nation.

“The OSU in Tulsa Icons share OSU’s mission to educate and help others,” said OSU-Tulsa President Howard Barnett. “All have spent their lives in service to our community and have contributed to the breadth and quality of life and education in Oklahoma and throughout the country.”

The Icons are Jay Helm, a Tulsa businessman who serves as a member of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education; the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation; and the late Henry Zarrow, who with his wife, Anne, founded the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation.

“A Stately Affair in Tulsa provides the university the opportunity to recognize those who have made a significant impact on Tulsa and our state,” said Kayse Shrum, D.O., president of OSU-CHS and dean of the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. “These leaders have been integral to furthering our mission to increase the number of primary care physicians in rural Oklahoma and to improve the state’s health status.”

Helm is chairman of American Residential Group, Ltd., a Tulsa-based multifamily residential properties development and management firm that has been a leader in the renaissance of downtown Tulsa. As a graduate of OSU, he has long provided leadership and support for the university and its efforts in Tulsa. Helm previously served on the OSU/A&M Board of Regents and the OSU-Tulsa Board of Trustees before being appointed in 2013 to a nine-year term on the State Regents.

As a civic leader, Helm’s impact has been felt on higher education statewide. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the University Center at Tulsa Authority as well as the Board of Trustees for both OSU Medical Authority and the OSU Medical Trust. He also is a member of the Tulsa Regional Chamber Board of Directors and executive committee.

The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation was established by the late Charles Schusterman and his wife Lynn in 1987 to benefit education, child advocacy and youth leadership programs in Tulsa and Oklahoma. Nationally, the Foundation focuses on improving public education, supporting initiatives to provide high-quality training and resources for teachers and to increase the number of students from low-income families who graduate from high school prepared for college and the workplace. Internationally, the Foundation works to strengthen the Jewish community through investments in leadership development, service and volunteerism, inclusivity and connecting young people with Israel. The Foundation also invests to strengthen Israeli society, primarily through child protection and the renewal of Jerusalem.

The Schusterman Family Foundation has provided generous support for student scholarships at OSU-Tulsa. The Foundation also provides assistance for OSUTeach, a program designed to attract students with science and mathematics majors to careers in secondary education. Lynn and daughter, Stacy, are co-chairs of the Foundation and lead the family’s commitment to investing in young people and strengthening communities.

Henry Zarrow, who was affectionately known to many as “Mr. Henry,” founded the Sooner Pipe and Supply Company in Tulsa at age 22. A highly successful businessman, Zarrow was also known for his giving spirit. He established The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation, which provides broad-based programs benefitting children, the disadvantaged, health programs, education and medical research, primarily in Tulsa.

The Zarrow Foundation is an OSU supporter. Their generous gift to OSU-CHS has underwritten a portion of the construction costs for the A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Medical Academic Building set for completion later this year. The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation Lecture Hall in the Tandy Medical Academic Building will be named in their honor. The organization also provides scholarships for students at OSU-Tulsa, OSU-CHS and OSU-Stillwater and helps fund programs such as OSU-Tulsa’s Center for Family Resilience.

The Icons for OSU in Tulsa, who were selected by an independent committee, will be honored at “A Stately Affair in Tulsa” on May 1 at Southern Hills Country Club. Proceeds from the black-tie event will fund scholarships for students who plan to attend OSU-CHS or OSU-Tulsa.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma President Ted Haynes and his wife, Shiela, are co-chairs for the event and Senior U.S. District Judge Terence Kern and his wife, Jeanette, are serving as honorary co-chairs.

For sponsorship information, visit http://www.astatelyaffair.com or contact the OSU Foundation in Tulsa by calling 918-594-8500.