Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to UNC Charlotte for today's press conference.
I'm Phil Dubois, the Chancellor of UNC Charlotte, and this may be the last press conference
I can hold where I can say I'm a Chancellor of the university with North Carolina's only
undefeated football program.
Several years ago, the new President, at that time, of the University of North Carolina
System, Erskine Bowles, told hundreds of Rotarians gathered in Charlotte that great cities must
have certain things�a great airport, important amenities that enhance the quality of life
including professional sports and the arts, and a great university.
Universities produce the human talent that's needed to build and sustain a diverse and
thriving economic base.
Reflecting on the short life of UNC Charlotte as a four-year institution, one that dates
only to the mid-1960s, President Bowles said something that stuck with me and that stuck
with us.
For UNC Charlotte to reach its full potential and, therefore, for Charlotte to reach its
full potential, the Charlotte community�even though it is filled with the graduates of
other prestigious institutions of higher education�must come to �own� UNC Charlotte in every respect.
It was Erskine's observation, at that time, that, in fact, led us to adopt our brand campaign:
�Stake Your Claim.� In other words, own your University.
Today, we gather for an important announcement and an opportunity to say thanks to a man
who has clearly �staked his claim� in UNC Charlotte.
In fact, I'm pleased to tell you today that Jerry Richardson has staked his claim 10 million
times
He �staked his claim 10 million times with a $10 million gift to support the UNC Charlotte
football program.
When we open fall competition against Campbell University on August 31, we will play on McColl-Richardson
Field in Jerry Richardson Stadium.
What is important to know about this investment by Jerry is that it was entirely his idea.
We did not go to him.
There was no proposal, no courtship, there were no long meetings or extended negotiations.
He came to us with an idea and the means to see that idea realized.
As Judy and I sat with Jerry and his wife, Rosalind, in their home some weeks ago, it
was clear that he understands, in a very personal way, what athletics can mean for an individual
student-athlete.
And he clearly understands what a quality athletics program can mean to advance this
University as it seeks to connect to the citizens of its region and its leadership to the University.
His investment comes at a critical time in the life of this Institution.
There is no question that our institutional trajectory has been positive and accelerating.
This year we graduated the largest number of students in our history, we awarded the
largest number of doctoral degrees we ever have.
We continue with a building program that approaches $1 billion over the last decade, including
our new Center City Building and the impressive EPIC building just across the field from this
stadium.
Our industry partnership building, PORTAL, nears completion just one block away over
here.
And, in 2017, light rail will carry visitors from Downtown and beyond to the University.
His generosity sets us on a path to achieve �escape velocity� and to join the orbit
of other great institutions.
Today, Jerry Richardson has stepped forward both to recognize what this university can
do for this city, and to illustrate what this city must do for its university.
We certainly hope others will follow in his impressively large footsteps.
Here is a man who is one of only two people in history that have ever played in the National
Football League and later owned an NFL franchise, right alongside the great George Halas.
Here is a man who stands out among the leaders of the National Football League owners themselves
- and of course everyone knows about the key role he played in the latest collective bargaining
agreement for the league.
He is a man who is also the only person who has ever been inducted into both the North
Carolina and South Carolina Business Halls of Fame and the North Carolina and South Carolina
Sports Halls of Fame.
We all know the success he's had on the football field and we have all witnessed the profound
sense of community created by the Carolina Panthers; and we have watched the growth of
this franchise into one of this region's and one of the state's most important assets.
We at UNC Charlotte continue to work hard to create ties with the community, and we
could not be more pleased to be able to establish a strong connection with one of Charlotte's
true living legacies and to have that legacy represented in the name of this football stadium.
Before I ask Mr. Richardson to come forward, let me welcome Director of Athletics, Judy
Rose.
Thank you, Chancellor, and thank you, Mr. Richardson.
As the Chancellor stated, this donation comes not so much from the fruitful cultivation
of a prospect -but from the generous heart of a man who values where he came from and
wants to help others get to where they're going.
Jerry Richardson, by no means, needed to make this donation.
His legacy in this community and around the country is firmly established.
Jerry Richardson wanted to make this donation.
As a former college athlete, he wanted to make this donation because of all that college
athletics has done for him.
As an owner of our region's NFL franchise, he wanted to make this donation to support
the region's largest university.
From playing college athletics, to playing pro football to ultimately owning an NFL Franchise
that he took to the Super Bowl, he is thankful for the direction college athletics gave him
and he's thankful for where it has brought him.
He has experienced, first hand, what college athletics can mean to a student-athlete, to
a university and to a city.
At the same time, he understands the importance that this city will play in the life of its
university - and he wanted to be among the first to stand up and state - this program
is important to me.
This is our city, our region, our university -- and this is our future.
These last couple of years Mr. Richardson has been privy to some of the advances being
made at this university - he has been out to campus to see our first-class facilities.
He's toured the stadium and saw the great crowd at the Spring Game.
He has seen the great progress we have made.
He wants to help continue that growth.
He wants to take ownership.
That is what struck me most as we went through this process.
He and his dear wife Rosalind want to be among those to step up and take ownership of our
university and our program.
For that great support, we cannot thank you enough.
This coming year will be the 49th for the institution as part of the North Carolina
University system.
It certainly is fitting that in our 49th year as part of this system, we add football to
our resume.
The addition can help connect the university and the region like few other advances that
we have made.
We are thrilled that Jerry Richardson believes in that connection, as well.
And we are beyond proud to have your name adorn our facility and perpetuity.
Coach Lambert and Chancellor Dubois, if you would help unveil the stadium renditions.
There's one, and now the other one.
One's interior and one's exterior.
You can't see that one quiet as well on this.
It's been real hard to keep this a secret and to have these things done have been a
little bit difficult but thank you so much and now, it is my pleasure to welcome Mr.
Richardson to the podium.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
One of the first things I noticed when we came out here is the artwork that you've been
so generous.
That's very impressive and I know the university and I personally thank you for doing that.
I'm going to be brief which is somewhat typical of me.
In regard to our gift, we have only one mission, we want to help to continue to create a culture
of winning and becoming better.
That transcends everyone.
It involves every person at UNC Charlotte, the Chancellor, the Trustees, the President,
the Athletic Director, the students, the players, the faculty, the people that maintain the
grounds, the buildings and I would particularly hope that they pay particular attention to
the building right behind me and this facility over here.
So, I said I'm going to be brief but also I think it's appropriate maybe I could share
with you one of my observations since we've lived in Charlotte.
Charlotte is our home.
I think Erskine has captured, I agree one hundred percent Erskine's views about the
University and what makes a city great.
From my point of view, you're doing everything right and of course I have a bias and my bias
is the football because the football has been such an important part of my life.
Hey Kevin, that's one of my men right there.
So, I'm safe.
Kevin, do you want to move a little closer?
Where was I Kevin?
Where was I honey?
My wife said I said I was going to be brief.
So, in the spirit of being brief, in addition to the funds that we've donated to the university,
we would like to endow a full football athletic scholarship at the university here in honor
of our son John and that is from my wife and me and he deserves it and Coach Lambert is
going to need many more of us to step up and so with that I will close and thank you very
much for being here and I'm excited to be a part of your program.
I think you'll find over time that we're good team players and we will hopefully have many
many more years together.
Thank you.
Wow.
This is awesome.
You know, in the football world, few men stand as tall as Mr. Richardson and to have him,
once again, pronounce his support of our school and our program is just amazing.
I've said all along that the plan this university had in place was what was so attractive when
we took this job.
So many things are right here to help us become successful.
A city with an appetite for football.
A university with a strong and spirited student body.
A plan for facilities that would compete with the many great programs around us.
We saw all of that and more at our spring game.
You know we had a packed stadium and the campus was buzzing.
What a great afternoon for our players and our program.
And now, to see the community leaders, led by Mr. Richardson, who have joined our team
in naming our facilities this is just tremendous and it shows the great support we have in
this region.
Mr. Richardson - we could not thank you enough.
You and your organization have been tremendous to our staff since we first set foot in Charlotte.
The Panthers have been great to us and this personal gift from you and Rosalind leaves
us at a loss for words.
Jerry Richardson Stadium.
We are honored.
This is an extremely generous gift and we will treat it with the utmost respect.
So on behalf of our staff, our coaching staff and our players, we say thank you.
We appreciate you.
We do have a little something for you.
I'm going to have to lose a lot of pounds to get in this jersey.
Thank you very much.