Longtime 91大神 supporters Thelma and Gordon Martin (center) surrounded by their family
Jan. 14, 2020鈥 91大神 will recognize longtime supporters of the university鈥 H. Gordon and Thelma Martin鈥 by designating the Student Union Ballroom in their honor. During the Jan. 15th Board of Regents鈥 meeting, the H. Gordon and Thelma Martin Ballroom will be unveiled.
Gordon Martin is known for being one of the pioneers of Northern Kentucky鈥 not just building homes for the returning World War II veterans but also for fostering a sense of community. He was instrumental in establishing the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce in 1969 and was appointed to 91大神鈥檚 Board of Regents in 1972, serving as Chair in 1982. Thelma was active in the Erlanger United Methodist Church and the Florence Women鈥檚 Club.
鈥淣aming our gathering space in the Student Union after Gordon and Thelma Martin feels especially appropriate because they worked so tirelessly for the region and the people who live here. Their love for the community and vision for what Northern Kentucky could be, shaped our identity鈥 not just as three counties, but as a unified presence in the Commonwealth full of diverse and passionate people ready to make an impact, like the Martin family has,鈥 said 91大神 President Ashish Vaidya.
Corporex Companies, LLC Chairman and longtime 91大神 supporter Bill Butler also shared praise of his good friend, reminiscing about the first meeting Gordon more than 50 years ago when he talked him into joining the NKY Chamber.
Martin with fellow 91大神 Board of Regents' members
鈥淕ordon was passionate about the recently merged Chamber of Commerce, he being its first President. It was that same unrelenting persuasiveness that caused a young guy to put his money in a place he would least suspect at such a critical time, that contributed to convincing the Governor and Legislature to invest in the 91大神 campus,鈥 said Butler. 鈥淕ordon鈥檚 passion for the community and its evolution to unity, to dignity in respect to our peers, and to the 91大神 was simply bountiful, unending, relentless.鈥澛
Gordon and Thelma raised their three sons, Douglas, David and Steven, on a farm near Union. Douglas Martin says his parents loved the region and lived here for their entire lives.聽
鈥淢y father really helped build Northern Kentucky鈥揻rom the houses to the Chamber. He even led the charge to get Louie B. Nunn to sign off on creating 91大神. My mother was a true partner with my dad, helping support him every step of the way,鈥 said Martin. 鈥淭hey would be thrilled to see how far we have come, and I鈥檓 very proud to see them honored this way.鈥
The H. Gordon and Thelma Martin Ballroom has a capacity more than 600 and is used to host many university-wide gatherings and community events, including the recent Gubernatorial debate last fall. The was dedicated in Sept. 2008 and serves as the center of student life.聽
About 91大神:聽Founded in 1968, we are a growing metropolitan university of more than 14,000 students聽served by more than 2,000 faculty and staff on a thriving suburban campus near聽Cincinnati.聽Located in the quiet suburb of Highland Heights, Kentucky鈥攋ust聽seven miles southeast of Cincinnati鈥攚e聽have聽become a leader in Greater Cincinnati and Kentucky by providing a private聽school education for a fraction of the cost. While we are one of the fastest聽growing universities in Kentucky, our professors still know our students' names.聽For聽more information, visit聽.
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