HISTORY OF THE KENNETH E. MEYER ALUMNI CENTER

1975

The building opened as the Bank of Springfield. It was designed by renowned Springfield architect Richard Stahl.

1982

The building’s name changed to Centerre Bank of Springfield.

1988

Centerre Bancorporation Inc. was acquired by Boatmen’s Bancshares Inc., and the building became available for purchase due to the merger.

1989

The then-SMSU Foundation purchased the building with support from private gifts. “I am confident that when we look back 10, 20 or 30 years from now, we will point to the purchase of this building as one of the most significant moves in the foundation’s history,” Marshall Gordon, then president of the university, said in summer 1989. “When you provide good people with excellent facilities, the end result is usually phenomenal success.”

1989-present

The building’s tenants other than MSU staff members have included Butler, Rosenbury and Partners architects, Woolsey Fisher law firm, the FBI and the Secret Service.

2003

The building was named for Kenneth E. Meyer ’50 in recognition of a significant gift.

HISTORY OF THE MSU FOUNDATION’S FACILITIES

1961

The university bought the house at 736 S. National Ave. as a home for the institution’s president. Both Leland E. Traywick and Arthur L. Mallory lived in the house.

1969-70

Mallory moved out of the house, and the home economics department moved in.

1975

The building was named Burgess House in honor of Floy T. Burgess. She started the home management/home economics program at MSU in the early 1950s.

Fall 1980

The Southwest Missouri State University Foundation was established.

Jan. 13, 1981

The SMSU Foundation holds its first day of operations. The offices were in Carrington Hall for a brief time.

1981

The small staff — led by first Director of the Foundation Greg Onstot — moved in to Burgess House as the home economics department, which needed more room, moved out.

1989

There were now 15+ development and alumni staff members. The university purchased the former Boatmen’s Bank building, and the team moved there.

2024

The Advancement team is making plans to move into the first facility built just for them, with attention to the needs of alumni, donors and friends.