Normal, Ill. - With Richard and Fran Owen providing one of the largest gifts ever received by Illinois State University Athletics, President Al Bowman and Director of Athletics Perk Weisenburger recognized seven donors of nine leadership gifts accounting for some 90 percent of the funding for the strength and conditioning facility phase of the Redbird Arena Completion Project in a press conference Monday at Redbird Arena. The project is part of Redefining "normal,": the campaign for Illinois State University.
The Owen gift will place the family name on the centerpiece of the Redbird Arena Completion Project, The Richard and Fran Owen Strength and Conditioning Center.
Other gifts received are from Larry and Karen Clore for The Clore Men's Basketball Office Suite, Rick and Janet Percy for The Percy Family Redbird Athletics Hall of Fame, Harriet and Phares O'Daffer for The O'Daffer Athletics Conference Room, the Zeller Family in memory of Guido Zeller for The Avanti's Head Men's Basketball Coach Office, J.G. Stewart and sons for The J.G. Stewart Contractors Men's Basketball Conference Room and Darrell and Karen Kehl for The Kehl Men's Basketball Assistant Coach's Office. Two additional anonymous leadership gifts also have been received.
While the campaign continues, these gifts mean Redbird Athletics is well on its way to raising all of the funds necessary to build the new strength and conditioning center in Redbird Arena.
Bowman expressed his appreciation for the gifts, which come within the framework of Illinois State's $88 million Redefining "normal,": campaign.
"Among the funding priorities we identified when we launched the Redefining "normal,": campaign was `enhancing the campus experience' and `promoting areas of excellence,'" said Bowman. "The Illinois State fans we are recognizing today for their generous gifts have gone a long way in helping to enhance campus athletic experiences and promote excellence.
"Redbird Athletics is one of the more visible and exciting components of the campus experience, and, in helping us provide our athletes with a new, outstanding Strength and Conditioning Center, these Redbird families have contributed to future athletic excellence at Illinois State."
Weisenburger stressed the impact of the gifts on the future of Redbird Athletics.
"Because of the importance facilities have in recruiting, as well as student-athlete development, the Richard and Fran Owen Strength and Conditioning Center will have an everlasting impact on the future success of all of our programs," said Weisenburger. "It is gratifying to us that these leadership gifts have come from family-oriented donors. So, on behalf of our Redbird family, I want to convey our deepest appreciation and gratitude to these wonderful donors as well as many others who have graciously supported this effort."
In his remarks, Weisenburger indicated that, as part of the public phase of the Redbird Arena Completion Project, Redbird Athletics will be announcing a new campaign in the coming weeks which will introduce an exciting opportunity for "anyone and everyone who cares about Redbird Athletics to get involved and support the on-going priorities of the Redbird Arena Completion Project."
The 9,200-square-foot Richard and Fran Owen Strength and Conditioning Center (which will include a 1200-square-foot cardio room still to be named) is Phase II of the on-going, four-phase Redbird Arena Completion Project. Phase I, completed in 2003, was a 22,000-foot concrete pour, plus plumbing and electrical installations for the entire project. Phase III includes a new hospitality and meeting facility for The Redbird Club and completion of The Percy Family Redbird Athletics Hall of Fame. Phase IV will entail renovation of the lower west side of Redbird Arena, enhancing basketball locker room and meeting space.
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The Richard and Fran Owen Strength & Conditioning Center
Richard and Fran Owen
For more than 70 years, the Owen family and its nursery have shown the strength to provide leadership as a business about growth. With Richard and Fran Owen's $500,000 gift to Illinois State University athletics for the Redbird Arena Completion Project, they are showing leadership which will result in improving the strength and growth of student-athletes at Illinois State for many years to come.
With facilities to serve the more than 350 Redbird student-athletes in 19 sports, the Richard and Fran Owen Strength and Conditioning Center is the centerpiece of the Arena Completion Project.
QUOTE FROM RICHARD OWEN:
"Over the last few years, strength and conditioning has been one of the major components of being successful in athletics. When you listen to Porter (Moser) and other coaches talk about signing recruits, it seems like all of them mention the value of getting them into the weight room and improving their strength. So, we think this facility is essential to having successful programs at Illinois State and we are very pleased to be supporting this progressive facility expansion."
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The Clore Men's Basketball Office Suite
Larry and Karen Clore
As president/CEO of Multi-Ad Print Solutions in Peoria, Larry Clore has stayed close to his alma mater in many ways. The former president and board member of The Redbird Club has been on board with the Redbird Arena Completion Project from the start as a member of the Redefining "normal,": steering committee. The Clore Men's Basketball Office Suite houses four coaching offices, a reception area for visitors, plus a conference room for student-athletes and coaches.
QUOTE FROM LARRY CLORE:
"We see this as a beginning to solidifying Illinois State athletics as the premiere athletics program it can be. Karen and I gave our gift to give confidence to other TRC members and fans to get involved. We want them to participate in what is a very unique and rewarding initiative; that is, to complete Redbird Arena and contribute to the success of Redbird Athletics as a whole."
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The Percy Family Redbird Athletics Hall of Fame
Rick and Janet Percy
Sports, Illinois State University and leadership are traditions in the Percy family, whose Bloomington business is Clemens and Associates Insurance. With Rick Percy a former Redbird football player and TRC president, and his son, Rick, a former Redbird golfer, and his daughter, Jennifer, with two degrees from Illinois State, they are personally tied to decades of Redbird athletics success. During the last three decades, Illinois State University has admitted its finest coaches, student-athletes and alumni to the Redbird Athletics Hall of Fame. When The Percy Family Redbird Athletics Hall of Fame is completed, those Redbird icons will have a place to be remembered.
QUOTE FROM RICK PERCY:
"To our family, it's an honor to give back to a university which has helped all of us to succeed. Illinois State is an important part of our community and this is a chance to say `thank you' for all Illinois State has done for us."
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The O'Daffer Athletics Conference Room
Harriet and Phares O'Daffer
During his years on campus, Dr. Phares O'Daffer not only was a popular mathematics professor, but he and his wife, Harriet, were two of the most involved, and most recognized, people at Illinois State. Dr. O'Daffer was a faculty leader on campus and Mrs. O'Daffer contributed as a community leader in many projects. Now retired, the two Illinois State alums will have their names grace The O'Daffer Athletics Conference Room in Redbird Arena, home of many of the department's meetings and social gatherings.
QUOTE FROM Todd Reeser, ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTOR/DEVELOPMENT, ABOUT THE O'DAFFERS:
"Harriet and Phares O'Daffer exemplify what it means to be Illinois State alumni, Redbird fans and people who care about giving back to an athletics program that has meant so much to them. They are loyal Redbird fans, but, much more than that, they are great people and Illinois State is a better university because they are part of it."
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The Avanti's Head Men's Basketball Coach Office
The Zeller Family in memory of Guido Zeller
For many people, Avanti's Italian Restaurant has been the center of `pop culture' at Illinois State University since the late Guido Zeller opened its doors in 1971. Throughout his life, Mr. Zeller quietly supported campus and community projects, including Redbird athletics and sports for people of all ages. Now, sons Rich and Marcus and the entire Zeller family are honoring his memory with the name of the restaurants he established placed on The Avanti's Head Men's Basketball Coach Office in Redbird Arena.
QUOTE FROM RICH ZELLER:
"We did it to help continue and expand opportunities for student-athletes by providing the best facilities we can for them. Dad did a lot of things for the university to show his appreciation for what the university has done for our business. We thought it would be a good idea to honor our father for his contributions to the university by helping Redbird Athletics be more successful."
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The J.G. Stewart Contractors Men's Basketball Conference Room
J.G. Stewart and Sons
The men's basketball conference room in Redbird Arena puts in long days--sometimes round-the-clock as Redbird basketball coaches and student-athletes answer the challenges of academics, athletics and community service. The J.G. Stewart Contractors Men's Basketball Conference Room bears the name of a business which is a lot like that room--putting people first in the process of helping build a better community.
QUOTE FROM JOE STEWART:
"J.G. Stewart Contractors has been placing quality concrete in the Bloomington-Normal area for more than 30 years. Having lived and worked in this community for so many years, we have taken an active role in improving and developing the area. We consider Illinois State University to be an integral part of our community and, so, when we were approached to help with the Redbird Arena Completion Project, we felt it was the perfect opportunity to give something back to the university and the community."
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The Kehl Men's Basketball Assistant Coach's Office
Darrell and Karen Kehl
Assistant coaches are frequently referred to as the lifeblood of college athletics ... people behind the scenes who are essential to success, but seldom get the recognition. Behind-the-scenes describes Darrell and Karen Kehl, for whom The Kehl Men's Basketball Assistant Coach's Office is named. He is best-known as the architect of technology services for State Farm Insurance Companies, where he worked for 33 years after graduating from Illinois State. The Kehls are lifelong residents of the Bloomington-Normal area and have been avid Illinois State fans for the past 15 years. Now retired, Darrell and Karen Kehl enjoy Illinois State sports more than ever ... giving support behind the scenes, just like a good assistant coach.
QUOTE FROM DARRELL KEHL:
"Karen and I enjoy the opportunity to do something for the university which gave me my education. We are very impressed with the leadership at Illinois State. From President Bowman to Perk Weisenburger and the coaches, we just think they're great people and we're happy to support what they are doing."
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