Vision Bank of Ada has donated $125,000 to the East Central University Foundation Inc. to establish the Vision Bank Endowed Professorship in Banking and Finance.
The gift will be matched by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for a total endowment of $250,000. Interest income from the endowment will be used to help attract and retain an outstanding business professor whose teaching specialty is in the area of banking and finance.
Dr. Bill Chapman, interim dean of ECU's School of Business, said Vision Bank, formerly the First National Bank and Trust Co. of Ada, has supported the school's activities for more than 50 years.
"The bank has provided part-time employment to literally hundreds of ECU business students over the years," he said, "and has been a major employer of ECU School of Business graduates. Currently, over half the officers of Vision Bank are graduates of East Central University."
Participating in the signing ceremony were Jim Hamby, CEO of Vision Bank; Bill Horne Sr., chairman of the Board of Directors of Vision Bank; ECU President Richard Rafes; and Chapman.
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