Artie & Dorothy McFerrin
Shortly after Bill Byrne was first hired as Texas A&M’s Director of Athletics in December of 2002, Artie and Dorothy McFerrin recall being impressed with the maneuvers that Byrne began making in an effort to enhance the overall image and performance of the Aggies’ athletic program.
Byrne, who arrived at A&M from Nebraska, vowed to make A&M a much more successful and well-rounded athletic program.
Looking back on his tenure at A&M since that time, he has obviously fulfilled that promise. In the prestigious Director’s Cup all-sport rankings, for example, Byrne has helped to guide A&M to its five highest finishes in school history. The Aggies completed the 2009-10 season ranked 6th in the nation, the school’s best finish ever.
Throughout Byrne’s tenure at A&M, the McFerrins—two of the most avid and loyal supporters of Aggie athletics—have continued to pay close attention to Byrne’s accomplishments and have also developed a close friendship with Byrne and his wife, Marilyn.
In honor of all that Byrne has done professionally at A&M and what he and Marilyn have meant to them personally, the McFerrins recently made a $1 million gift to the final component of the Championship Vision capital campaign, which is focused on the renovation of Olsen Field. The McFerrins have chosen to honor Byrne with their gift, naming the new student-athlete center at Olsen Field in honor of the Aggies’ Director of Athletics.
And the McFerrins have also issued a challenge to other Aggies to do the same. The student-athlete center, valued at $2 million in naming rights, will serve as the entry to the two-story baseball operations center at Olsen Field. Dorothy and Artie McFerrin provided the first half of the $2 million for the naming rights, and they believe other Aggies will join them to honor Byrne for what he has meant to Texas A&M.
“I think Bill and Marilyn are the best, and I think our athletic programs were in great distress when Bill came,” Dorothy McFerrin said recently. “But he has really cleaned things up in so many ways. His ability to hire coaches and those coaches’ ability to hire the right staff have made a world of difference for Texas A&M. The facilities we have now across this campus would not have been what they are if Bill had not gone forward and continued to literally build what we had in place. He has done so much in improving our facilities that we are attracting the athletes we need to recruit in order to be a championship program.
“In light of all that he has done, we wanted to do something that—even after Bill retired—would recognize and pay tribute to Bill and would let the future Aggies know his name. We think others who also appreciate what Bill has done for Texas A&M would like to be part of this project at Olsen Field. I think the younger generations—in their 30s and 40s and so forth—should do what they can. They do not feel like they need to send in a $1 million check. But whether it is in the thousands or the hundreds, we want to encourage others to give to honor what Bill and Marilyn Byrne have done for Texas A&M since they first arrived here.”
Contributors to this project will be recognized in the new facility. The recognition level for donors to be included in the entry foyer is $25,000. Gifts of lesser amounts are welcomed with recognition in the concourse area.
The generous gift from Dorothy and Artie McFerrin to the Olsen Field project comes as no surprise to the couple’s son, Jeff, who has watched his parents passionately support Texas A&M—vocally and financially—through the years.
Since 2005, Dorothy and Artie have donated more than $11 million to the 12th Man Foundation to help fund the McFerrin Athletic Center, the Cox-McFerrin Center for Aggie Basketball and various other projects, including the Olsen Field renovation.
“It is very good to see them continue to give back, and Texas A&M is obviously something that they are very passionate about,” said Jeff McFerrin, Class of ’92. “The family is 100 percent behind them. My dad played baseball growing up, and he is a fan of all the sports. About the only sport he doesn’t follow is auto racing. But he is an ESPN and Aggie sports junkie, and my parents are very supportive of what Bill Byrne has managed to do at A&M.
“Bill brings a vision to A&M that we haven’t had in the athletic director position previously. He has brought a vision for facilities that helps the overall recruiting; he’s had some great hires across all sports, especially track and field head coach Pat Henry; he’s very in tune with generating funding, whether it be through apparel marketing, merchandising, TV revenues or seeking private donations; and I just believe he has an overall big-picture vision for the entire program.”
The Olsen Field renovation represents the final component of the Championship Vision capital campaign, which was first unveiled in March of 2000. The Olsen Field committee, led by co-chairs Jerry Cox and Steve Morris, has held gatherings across the state since early in 2009 to inform potential donors about the pressing needs facing Aggie baseball. Since its construction in 1978, little has been done to improve Olsen Field. Meanwhile, in the last 10 years, schools like Texas, LSU, Baylor, TCU, Rice, Nebraska, Arkansas, Oklahoma State and many others in the region have either built new stadiums or have significantly upgraded existing facilities.
The financial goal for the Olsen Field renovation is $16 million. As of Oct. 1, 2010, the 12th Man Foundation had received $14,784,000 in pledges and donations. That leaves the fundraising efforts just $1,216,000 short of meeting the financial goals.
If you would like to join the McFerrins in honoring Bill Byrne or would like to contribute to another area of the Olsen Field renovation project, please contact Stu Starner at 979-260-7935 or Kelly Corcoran at 979-260-7943 with the 12th Man Foundation Major Gifts Department.