Citizens Bank of Ada has made a $75,000 gift to the East Central University Foundation Inc. to be used for the construction of ECU’s new School of Business and Conference Center.
ECU will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the three-story, 62,000 square-foot facility at 2 p.m. Tuesday [OCT. 18] at the intersection of Main and Center Streets.
The lobby of the building will be known as the Citizens Bank of Ada Lobby.
“We are quite excited to see the new School of Business and the university’s continuing development,” said Jimmy Eppler, president and CEO of the bank. “We decided to contribute to the school first, because several of our staff are alumni of the School of Business and we wanted to do something for that. Then we decided the lobby was something we wanted to invest in.”
Eppler earned a bachelor’s degree from ECU in business administration/finance.
“We appreciate the continuing support of Citizens Bank of Ada for ECU,” said ECU President John Hargrave. “Gifts large and small, from businesses, organizations and individuals, are helping us build this great facility that both students and the community can use.”
At the groundbreaking, Hargrave will recognize major donors Harland C. Stonecipher and the Chickasaw Nation, represented by Gov. Bill Anoatubby, and representatives from the Board of Regents of the University System of Oklahoma and the City of Ada. A reception will follow in the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center.