Stillwater, Oklahoma–(Newsfile Corp. – November 19, 2024) – Oklahoma State University’s new Human Performance Innovation Complex will be named after the late T. Boone Pickens, a legendary businessman and mega-philanthropist.
The complex’s name recognizes and honors Pickens, a beloved alumnus who has significantly transformed OSU through nearly $650 million in donations.
In June 2023, a $120 million legacy gift from the T. Boone Pickens Foundation to OSU provided funding for student scholarships and $25 million for the OSU Human Performance Innovation Complex. The complex, which will be located north of the Sherman E. Smith Training Center, will house and support the work of OSU’s unique Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute.
“The T. Boone Pickens Foundation’s allocation of $25 million for the innovation complex marks a significant step toward establishing a world-class research institute on our Stillwater campus next year aimed at improving the health and well-being of all Oklahomans,” OSU President Kayse Shrum said. “And we are pleased that this one-of-a-kind complex will bear the name of an American pioneer in corporate fitness – Boone Pickens.”
The institute will leverage research and experience from departments and colleges around the OSU System, including the College of Education and Human Sciences; Ferguson College of Agriculture; the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology; the Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center; the College of Osteopathic Medicine; and the National Center for Wellness & Recovery in Tulsa.
The cross-disciplinary applied research approach is a key component of HPNRI and its parent organization, The Innovation Foundation at OSU.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt praised the Pickens Foundation’s generosity and Pickens’ enduring legacy.
“Boone Pickens was a great Oklahoman who loved his state and his university – Oklahoma State. For decades, he preached the importance of physical fitness and its importance for a strong workforce and healthy workplace. He faithfully and vigorously worked out every morning at dawn, setting an example for all around him,” Stitt said. “While wise to follow Boone’s example, I am optimistic the Boone Pickens Human Performance Innovation Complex can play a large role in bringing about transformational change in health outcomes for all Oklahomans. He would be proud of this development on the OSU campus.”
Lance Walker, named the inaugural HPNRI Rick and Gail Muncrief executive director in 2022, expressed gratitude for the Pickens Foundation’s support.
“Boone Pickens understood the link between productivity, fitness and happiness,” Walker said. “He started a trend in 1979 when he built a $2.5 million, 30,000-square-foot fitness center at his company’s Mesa Petroleum headquarters in Amarillo, Texas, introducing one of the first corporate wellness programs in the United States. Boone would tell his Mesa employees that good health does not just happen but requires individual effort and would warn that a person’s health would deteriorate without regular physical exercise. Boone’s words are as real today as they were in 1979, and they will inspire the groundbreaking initiatives in this complex named after him.”
Responding to the naming announcement, Jay Rosser, Pickens’ longtime head of public affairs, noted how honored Pickens would be to have his name associated with a complex and institute dedicated to promoting healthier lives.
“Boone was a lifelong health and fitness advocate,” Rosser said. “He championed the phrase, ‘I don’t want to grow old and feel bad, and I don’t want others to, either.’ He was competitive in every aspect of his life and believed health and fitness improved productivity. The naming of the Human Performance Innovation Complex reflects his leadership in that field and will prove invaluable for future generations of Oklahomans.”
The advanced Boone Pickens Human Performance Innovation Complex and HPNRI are committed to conducting cutting-edge research, educating the next generation of health and wellness professionals, and providing evidence-based solutions to improve human performance and nutrition.
The state of Oklahoma supported OSU’s land-grant mission by providing initial funding of $50 million through the American Rescue Plan Act for HPNRI. The complex is supported by the $25 million allocation from the Boone Pickens legacy gift and additional fundraising continues. Architects are finalizing the facility design, and site preparation and construction will begin in 2025.
VISUAL ASSETS: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1zoIILrSq7yTmNMUdX4bAQMhvQwPa4osU?usp=share_link.
About Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma State University is a premier land-grant university that prepares students for success. Through teaching, research and Extension, OSU engages communities and empowers servant-leaders to meet society’s most pressing challenges. OSU is the largest university system in Oklahoma and has more than 35,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 26,000 on its combined Stillwater and Tulsa campuses, with students from all 50 states and more than 125 nations. Established in 1890, OSU has graduated more than 280,000 students to serve the state of Oklahoma, the nation and the world.
About the T. Boone Pickens Foundation
The T. Boone Pickens Foundation, established in 2006, focuses its philanthropy on health and medical research, treatment, and services; entrepreneurship; kids at risk; education and athletics; corporate health and fitness; and conservation and wildlife management.
About Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institution
Established in 2022, the Oklahoma State University Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute is a research-based institute that focuses on strategic areas of human performance and nutrition science to improve lives in Oklahoma. Operating under the umbrella of OSU’s Innovation Foundation, HPNRI unites researchers and resources to translate applied research into practical solutions and leverage advanced knowledge gained from OSU’s sports performance, sports medicine, collaborative research programs, and leading industry partner relationships.
About The Innovation Foundation at Oklahoma State University
The Innovation Foundation at Oklahoma State University is dedicated to fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development within the Oklahoma State University ecosystem and beyond. Grounded in the university’s commitment to research excellence and community engagement, The Innovation Foundation provides support and resources to researchers, startups, and industry partners, facilitating the translation of cutting-edge research into tangible solutions that address real-world challenges. For more information about The Innovation Foundation at Oklahoma State University, please visit theinnovationfoundation.okstate.edu.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/230619
SOURCE: Oklahoma State University
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What motivated Mr. Boone Pickens to prioritize health and wellness throughout his career?
Editor: Thank you for joining us today, Mr. Boone Pickens and Dr. Lance Rosser. We are pleased to have you here to discuss the recently announced naming of Oklahoma State University’s Human Performance Innovation Complex after Mr. Pickens. To start with, could you both share your thoughts on the significance of this honor?
Boone Pickens: Well, I’m grateful to God and humbled by this recognition. I believe that good health and fitness are essential for productivity and happiness in life, and I’m thrilled that my name will be associated with a complex dedicated to promoting wellness and human performance. My dream was always to see a strong, healthy workforce, and this complex is a step in that direction.
Dr. Lance Rosser: Absolutely. Mr. Pickens was a true visionary when it came to health and fitness. He understood the critical role they play in our lives and workplace, particularly in today’s competitive world. The naming of the complex after him will not only inspire the next generation of researchers but also serve as a motivator for individuals pursuing healthier lifestyles.
Editor: That’s fascinating. Now, Mr. Pickens, you were known for your dedication to physical fitness and wellness. Could you tell us more about your approach to health and how it influenced your philanthropic efforts?
Boone Pickens: I believe that health and fitness are not just something that happens to us; they’re something we must work at. I started a corporate wellness program at my company in Amarillo, Texas, back in the 70s, which was unheard of at the time. I also set an example by exercising every morning and encouraged my employees to do the same. It paid off—our productivity improved, and we were healthier overall.
Editor: That’s inspiring. Dr. Rosser, how will the Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute advance this mission?
Dr. Lance Rosser: The institute will bring together experts from various fields to conduct research and develop evidence-based solutions that improve human performance and nutrition. We’ll also collaborate with industry partners to translate these findings into practical applications. The interdisciplinary approach is crucial because many factors affect human performance, from
