IWU Plans Naming Ceremony
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe new Hall of Sciences and Nursing at Indiana Wesleyan University will be named after Marion residents and graduates of the school. TLC Management Inc. Chief Executive Officer Gary Ott and his wife Connie have made a multi-million dollar donation to the university. March 13, 2014
News Release
(Marion, Ind.) – Indiana Wesleyan University will name the new Sciences and Nursing Building after Marion residents and IWU alumni Gary and Connie Ott. IWU President, Dr. David Wright announced that the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to honor the couple for their generous support of the university’s Health Sciences and Nursing initiatives. The Otts have provided a multi-million dollar transformational gift that when fully received represents the largest non-bequest donation in the 94-year history of IWU. The naming ceremony, open to the public, is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. April 3, in the Ott Hall of Sciences and Nursing.
Gary Ott is President and CEO of TLC Management, Inc., a leading private provider of health and rehabilitation centers, assisted living and retirement centers, and hospice services. He is also a senior member of the IWU Board of Trustees. Connie assists with corporate and community support initiatives.
The 110,000-square-foot Ott Hall of Sciences and Nursing will house a suite of new research facilities for undergraduates, graduate students and faculty members. The building is designed to bring together students and faculty of various disciplines to create a synergy that will benefit all of IWU's efforts in the health sciences.
The Ott family affiliation with IWU spans four generations beginning with Gary’s grandfather, the Reverend W. C. Ott. Gary’s father, Francis Ott, graduated in1950 from Marion College and Gary’s mother, Lois (Howe), was a member of the class of 1948.
Gary and Connie (Kramer) Ott met in the Marion College Student Center during their freshman year. Her uncle, James Luttrull, was serving as Marion College Dean of Students. Both graduated in 1974; Gary with a bachelor’s degree in economics and business, and Connie with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. They were married in 1975.
Two of the Ott’s children and their spouses are alumni: Bradley (‘03) and Sarah (Line, ‘01, ‘08) Ott, and Jennifer (’05) and Daniel Showalter (’07). Son, Ryan, is a member of the IWU Citizens' Advisory Council and his wife, Amie (Owsley), graduated from IWU in 2004.
“Our community thanks God for bringing Gary and Connie into the life of our institution and for their ongoing ministry to us,” said Dr. Keith Newman, Residential Campus CEO and Executive Vice President. “They consistently demonstrate their gratitude to God by pouring into our students, our leadership and, with this gift, our future. It is an honor for this institution to place their names on a building that will bless generations of students to come.”
Indiana Wesleyan University is an evangelical Christian comprehensive university of The Wesleyan Church. The University, founded in 1920, is committed to global liberal arts and professional education.
Nearly 3,000 students are enrolled in traditional programs on the University's main campus in Marion, Indiana. Nearly 12,500 adult learners attend classes at education centers in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, and online. Source: Indiana Wesleyan University