Agricultural News
Financial Institutions Support New Frontiers Agricultural Hall
Tue, 04 Oct 2022 08:00:35 CDT
By Alyssa Hardaway
A group of Oklahoma financial institutions are supporting the Oklahoma State University New Frontiers campaign to help build a new home for OSU Agriculture.
Armstrong Bank, established in 1909 in Vian, is one of 11 financial institution affiliates to invest in replacing OSU’s aging Agricultural Hall.
Billy Taylor, chief executive officer of Armstrong Bank, said contributing to the New Frontiers campaign aligns with one of Armstrong Bank’s core values – to never stop learning.
“We feel it’s a natural partnership that allows us to align our values,” he said. “We believe in education wholeheartedly, and we believe in the success that will come out of this facility and this agricultural program.”
Creating opportunities for life-changing discoveries in agricultural science and natural resource industries, the state-of-the-art facility will improve recruitment and retention and elevate teaching, research and Extension.
The New Frontiers campaign has raised more than $50 million in private support, reaching its fundraising goal in record time. The support includes donations from many individual and corporate major gift donors.
In addition to supporting the future of OSU Agriculture, Armstrong Bank continuously supports agricultural youth organizations, investing nearly $250,000 in the last three years.
“In many of our communities, agriculture is the heartbeat of the town,” Taylor said. “As a true hometown and community bank, we believe in supporting our neighbors like family. We have invested right where we live, working alongside other local businesses, friends and neighbors. We plan on continuing to do that for years to come through our support of the New Frontiers campaign.”
Armstrong Bank officials praised OSU for producing excellent leaders, and the bank has employed many outstanding OSU graduates over the years. As a corporate major gift donor to the New Frontiers campaign, Armstrong Bank representatives named an office in the Student Success Center.
“The mission of a land-grant university, like OSU, teaches the same principles that we want to instill in our members,” Taylor said. “It only makes sense to support a university that complements our business so well.”
In addition to Armstrong Bank, other financial institutions that have invested in the New Frontiers project with significant commitments include AgPreference, American AgCredit, Farm Credit of Enid, Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma, Oklahoma AgCredit, BancCentral, BancFirst, Farmers State Bank, First Bank & Trust Co. in Perry, Billings, Covington and Pawnee, and Great Plains Bank.
“Seeing leaders within these financial institutions, who serve Oklahoma and have strong community-centered values, step up to support this project helps to send the message that the future depends on continued excellence in recruiting students and faculty to our college,” said Thomas G. Coon, vice president and dean for OSU Agriculture.
The New Frontiers campaign was launched in January 2020 to build a new state-of-the-art facility for OSU Agriculture. The New Frontiers Agricultural Hall, expected to open in fall 2024, further advances teaching, research and Extension efforts that are critical to the state’s economy, citizens’ safety and quality of life. By advancing OSU Agriculture and its programs, New Frontiers is fostering innovation to help feed the world.
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