WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Announcement

A LIFETIME OF SUPPORT

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BENJAMIN M. STATLER

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A Transformational Gift West Virginia University is proud to announce the naming of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources after businessman, philanthropist, and alumnus Ben Statler. The Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources stands as a testament to the tremendous generosity and support of Ben and his wife, Jo, both natives of Monongalia County, to WVU and the College.

“This gift will transform the College for generations of students to come. We are forever grateful to the Statlers for their trust and generosity in our vision. We pledge to honor their names by providing exemplary opportunities for our students and faculty to contribute to technological advancements.�

- Eugene V. Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean

The gift from the Statlers will transform the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources for generations of students to come. It includes funds for the new advanced engineering research building to be built on the Evansdale campus beginning in 2012, and the establishment of the Statler Research Scholars program.

The endowment, when matched by the state’s Research Trust Fund, will provide scholarships and research support for

20-plus undergraduate students majoring in engineering. This College-wide initiative will provide an opportunity to reach a large number of meritorious undergraduates, easing their financial burden to attend WVU and enriching their education through research experiences.

The gift also creates and supports three endowed faculty chairs in energy research and funds a graduate research fellows program. The matching dollars from the state will be used initially for research focused on energy.

This commitment will help the College develop a strategic research agenda in energy, with the initial focus on fossil energy resources.

“This is an extraordinary gift from extraordinary people. Ben and Jo Statler’s ties to WVU go back to their childhoods when they met in 4-H and through their many gifts those ties will go on forever. From healthcare, to athletics, to academics, the Statler’s have been extremely generous in helping WVU help others. The College of Engineering and Mineral Resources is already outstanding on many fronts and this gift will truly take the College to the next level and benefit the students, faculty, and staff in countless ways.

On behalf of a very grateful University community, I extend our heartfelt thanks to Ben and Jo Statler for their incredible support of excellence in our academic mission.”

- James P. Clements, WVU President

Our Benefactors A third generation coal miner, Ben Statler earned his bachelor’s degree in mining engineering from WVU in 1973.

While in college, Ben began his career at CONSOL Energy, working as a laborer. For 30 years, he held various positions with the company before starting his own mining company, PinnOak Resources LLC. He served as its president and chief executive officer until its sale in 2007. Currently, Ben is co-founder and CEO of Gulf Coast Capital Partners, a private investment firm founded in 2008 that is focused on acquiring and providing capital to middle market companies in special situations.

Ben has served on the advisory committee for WVU’s Department of Mining Engineering and was named to the Board of Directors of the WVU Foundation in August 2008.

Jo Statler, who worked for WVU’s School of Dentistry, has been a strong supporter of her community and our University. She helped launch Bonnie’s Bus, which provides digital mammography services to women in remote areas of West Virginia. The bus is named after Jo’s mother, Bonnie Wells Wilson, who died of breast cancer.

The Statlers have received numerous honors from WVU, including Most Loyal West Virginians, the WVU Foundation’s Outstanding Philanthropist Award, and the Milan Puskar Award. In 2009, they received honorary doctorates from WVU during its commencement ceremonies.

The Statlers currently reside in McMurray, Pa., and Naples, Fla. They are the parents of two children, Julie and Ben II, and the grandparents of three grandsons.

A Lifetime of Support In 2008, the Statlers pledged $25 million to WVU, which was the largest gift in the University’s history. A portion of that gift, coupled with an additional commitment, will be dedicated to the newly named Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. Eleven million dollars of the donation will be matched by the state of West Virginia’s Research Trust Fund, making the total value of the naming gift $45 million. The direct impact of their lifetime of support to WVU is nearly $60 million.

In addition to their support of WVU, the Statlers have been supportive of many community needs including the building of Statler Wilson Gymnasium at their high school alma mater, Clay Battelle, as well as the renovation of the Metropolitan Theatre.

“We are very grateful to Ben and Jo for their continued generosity and commitment to WVU. The impact of this transformational gift will be experienced by students and faculty now and for many years to come. From scholarships, to advances in research, to improved facilities, the benefits from this donation will be far reaching.”

- Wayne King, WVU Foundation President and CEO

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