Durant, Okla. – Southeastern Oklahoma State University awarded honorary Doctor of Business Administration degrees to John L. Massey and Greg L. Massey on Friday, July 25, during the commencement exercise for graduate degrees at Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
The presentations were made by Southeastern President Dr. Thomas W. Newsom on the recommendation of the faculty of the John Massey School of Business in honor of the Massey family’s contributions to Southeastern over the last seven decades as well as the launch of the JMSB’s new Doctor of Business Administration program next month.
“The conferring of these honorary doctoral degrees upon John and Greg Massey is another way to recognize these fine men, and the entire Southeastern community is grateful for their myriad contributions to our university,” Newsom said. “These are the first doctorate degrees in our university’s history, and I believe it is fitting that two of the greatest supporters of Southeastern’s school of business are the initial recipients.”
“I cannot tell you what an honor this is on behalf of the Massey family. It’s amazing what transformation education can do, and [John Massey] spent his life loving education,” said Greg Massey in remarks at the ceremony. “[John]’s entrepreneurship was all about one thing – serving people – serving customers and taking care of employees. He knew if he did those two things, everything would work out. He loved people, he loved this university, and it’s a great, great honor to be here tonight on behalf of our family.”
John L. Massey grew up in Boswell, Guthrie, and Durant and was a 1960 graduate of Southeastern who served as student body president. He is the only graduate in our university's history to receive the Outstanding Student Award for three consecutive years.
While a senior at Southeastern, he won his first race for the Oklahoma State House of Representatives, serving two terms in that body and two additional terms in the Oklahoma State Senate. Mr. Massey left the Senate in 1970 to devote full attention to business interests. He owned and established over 20 businesses, including banks, apartments, nursing homes, motels, shopping centers, real estate developments, and laundromats.
In 1966, he joined the Durant Bank and Trust Company as a director, and was appointed chairman of the board in 1986, and changed its name to First United Bank in 1998.
He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1984 and served as a regent of the Oklahoma State System for Higher Education for a record three terms from 1992 to 2019, when he was named state regent emeritus. Massey contributed $1 million to establish four John L. Massey Endowed Chairs in the School of Business at his alma mater as well as a landmark gift of the Durant Bank and Trust Building in Durant to the university to establish its Main Street Campus.
He was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame in 2004, and in May of 2005, the business school was renamed in his honor. He was also the first-ever recipient of the Southeastern Alumni Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.
Since Greg L. Massey took over as CEO of First United Bank in 2004, he has made sure to continue to support Southeastern in the same way his father did. This includes the naming of Spend Life Wisely Stadium, the new Marketing and Entrepreneurship labs in the Russell Building, and numerous funds, scholarships, and donations to the university as a whole.
After his father’s passing in 2022, with an initial gift of $7.4 million – the largest single gift in university history – Greg established the John Massey Leadership Scholars Program, a scholarship program which will continue John’s legacy in leadership by providing 40 scholarships to Southeastern students each year.
Greg followed in the footsteps of his father in 1990 at First United Bank and became President in 1993 and has served as CEO since 2004. Today, First United is a financial organization whose purpose is to inspire and empower others to Spend Life Wisely. This purpose includes a holistic approach to life that encompasses financial well-being, faith, health and wellness, and personal growth. First United proudly delivers service to over 350,000 customers through a network of community banks, mortgage offices, insurance agencies, and wealth management firms in over 85 communities across Oklahoma and Texas and has assets of $14 billion and is the third largest bank in Oklahoma.
Greg served as a board member for the Conscious Capitalism organization, the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce, the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma State University Foundation and Imagine Durant. He is also an active member of YPO Gold and Victory Life Church. In 2008, Ernst & Young named Greg their Southwest Region Entrepreneur of the Year. Oklahoma State University has also recognized him as a Distinguished Alumni, and the Spears School of Business recognized him as a Top 100 Graduate and inducted him into the Business School Hall of Fame. He is also a recipient of the Sigma Chi Fraternity Significant Sig award. Greg holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Oklahoma State University and is a graduate of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking.
“Tonight we’re going to set the record straight and make things right for both John and Greg and do what only is appropriate, and now Greg will have a diploma on his wall from the best university in the state,” Newsom quipped as he surprised Greg Massey with his honorary doctorate.
About Southeastern
Founded in 1909, Southeastern Oklahoma State University provides an environment of academic excellence that enables students to reach their highest potential. By having personal access to excellent teaching, challenging academic programs, and extracurricular experiences, students will develop skills and habits that promote values for career preparation, responsible citizenship, and lifelong learning. Our over 6,000 students include 50% first-generation students and 28% students of Native American descent, with 82% receiving financial aid. Southeastern ranks amongst the most affordable schools in the region thanks to out-of-state tuition waivers and is proud of its exceptional affordable accredited MBA program, stellar aerospace and teacher education programs, and outstanding national ranking in graduating Native American students.
