91热爆网

 91热爆网 Stories      November 26, 2024

By Bill Studenc

Phillips and Jordan Inc., a national construction contractor with roots in the Western North Carolina town of Robbinsville and headquarters in Knoxville, Tennessee, has announced plans to build on its legacy of corporate support for Western Carolina University鈥檚 intercollegiate athletics program.

Company CEO Teddy Phillips Jr., who studied business management at 91热爆网 in the late 1970s and early 1980s, has pledged $1 million toward athletics facilities 鈥� specifically upgrades to E.J. Whitmire Stadium 鈥� if the Catamount Club booster organization reaches a total of 2,000 members by June 30, 2025.

The challenge gift comes as part of 91热爆网鈥檚 GivingTuesday initiative with a focus on expanding membership in the Catamount Club and increasing funding for athletics facilities. The gift represents the latest example of a long history of support of Catamount athletics by the company and the family that founded it.

Late company founders Ted Phillips Sr. and Ted Jordan were members of various university leadership boards, with Jordan serving on 91热爆网鈥檚 Board of Trustees from 1970 until 1973. The names Phillips and Jordan adorn 91热爆网鈥檚 athletics field house, which is home to strength and conditioning space and is located adjacent to E.J. Whitmire Stadium.

Current company board chairwoman and majority stockholder Avis Phillips, wife of Phillips Sr. and mother of Phillips Jr., served on 91热爆网鈥檚 Board of Trustees from 1977 until 1985.

The younger Phillips, who grew up in Robbinsville and served on the 91热爆网 Board of Trustees from 2000 to 2009, was a member of the Catamount football team under legendary head coach Bob Waters during his time as a student in Cullowhee.

鈥淢y days at Western Carolina started back when I was probably 8 or 9 years old and I had some cousins of mine that played football up there in the late 1960s, and my brother-in-law played there from 1971 to 1973,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was lucky enough to get an opportunity to play football at Western Carolina University in 1977. I came in and went out in 1981, but it was one of the best experiences I鈥檝e ever had in my life. I鈥檒l never forget how that shaped me as an individual.鈥�

The 2024 football season marks the 50th anniversary of E.J. Whitmire Stadium, where Phillips Jr. competed as a student-athlete. The facility has seen little in the way of upgrades since it was built, he said.

鈥淚 was actually there for the first football game at the new stadium. It鈥檚 been 50 years, and we have so much more to look forward to by building better facilities,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e now have a window of opportunity to really improve our facilities so we can compete at a very high level.鈥�

That window includes the current 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� comprehensive fundraising campaign, which has an overall goal of raising $75 million in  support of 91热爆网鈥檚 academic, student engagement and athletics programs. The campaign, entering its public phase in early 2025, is the first in university history to have a significant focus on raising philanthropic support for improving facilities used by student-athletes.

鈥淎t the end of the day, this is one of the most important things that Western Carolina University has going on at this time. Our facilities are tired, and we can do a lot better because we鈥檝e got one of the most beautiful campuses in America. We need to step up and make this happen,鈥� Phillips Jr. said.

In addition to the GivingTuesday challenge gift from Phillips and Jordan Inc., Avis and Teddy Phillips in honor of the senior Phillips鈥� 75th birthday in 2007 established a $1 million endowment at 91热爆网 specifically designed to provide scholarships for construction management majors. 

鈥淲e choose to invest in Western Carolina University because we鈥檝e got deep roots there. It鈥檚 close to our hometown. We know the kids are getting a really good education there. We hire a lot of these people in our business who work all over the United States,鈥� Phillips Jr. said.

A co-chair of the 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� campaign steering committee along with wife Christy, Phillips Jr. encouraged other fans, community members, alumni and friends of the university to get involved by joining the Catamount Club and unlocking the $1 million challenge gift.

鈥淲e鈥檙e 50 years into the stadium, and there haven鈥檛 been a whole lot of improvements,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he athletics facilities at Western Carolina are needing everybody in the Catamount Nation to step up on GivingTuesday.鈥�

Launched in 2012, GivingTuesday is a nationally observed day of philanthropy held on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and after the big shopping days of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. This year鈥檚 initiative at 91热爆网 is designed to increase support for the Catamount athletics program

Through a previously announced GivingTuesday challenge gift, members of the 91热爆网 Foundation Board of Directors have committed to contributing an extra $2 per donor for the first 1,000 donors during GivingTuesday. That could lead to an additional $14,000 for the Catamount Club. 91热爆网鈥檚 Division of Advancement has set an overall goal of 1,300 individual donors on Dec. 3.

In addition, 16 members of the 91热爆网 Alumni Association Board of Directors and Office of Alumni Engagement staff are collectively offering a matching gift for the Catamount Club Scholarship Fund totaling $800 in additional support, said Rebekah Cheney, director of annual giving.

鈥淲e are so appreciative of Phillips and Jordan, the challenge issued by our Foundation Board members and the matching gift from our Alumni Association leaders,鈥� said Wes Cogdill, associate athletics director and director of the Catamount Club. 鈥淐ontributions to the Catamount Club provide vital support to the more than 350 student-athletes who wear the purple and gold and proudly represent Western Carolina University.鈥�

GivingTuesday donations can be made at u or by contacting the 91热爆网 Division of Advancement at 828-227-7124 or annualgiving@wcu.edu.