Thirty-eight years ago, Woody Tyner '79 '81 moved with his wife Jennifer '80 to Wilson for a job working at a small banking company.
Woody had just graduated East Carolina University with an MBA. He wasn't too familiar with the bank, but the dean of the business school recommended him for an interview. So he went. And got the gig.
The bank was BB&T, which would grow to operate more than 1,700 branches in 15 states and become the 14th largest bank in the nation. Woody would eventually rise to the level of senior vice president.
"I had other offers to go up north, but I wanted to stay in the area. I was also attracted to the ECU connections at BB&T," Woody said. The company has had many Pirates in its executive ranks, and its current CEO Kelly King is an ECU alumnus. Woody oversaw the treasury services department and helped roll out BB&T's debit card project in the 1990s. Jennifer, who graduated with a master's degree in education, was a school counselor in Wilson.
The Tyners are now retired and still living in Wilson. These days, their social lives revolve around ECU sporting events. They've sat with the same couple at football games for 25 years (coincidentally Woody's first boss at BB&T), and enjoy baseball, basketball and volleyball games as well.
In person, Woody and Jennifer are down-to-earth and friendly, and quick to talk about the positive changes they're seeing at ECU. From new interim Chancellor Dan Gerlach to Athletic Director Jon Gilbert to the coaching staff, "things are moving in the right direction," Woody said. "That's why we felt like it was the right time to make a gift."
The Tyners are giving $250,000 for an undesignated endowment to the ECU Education Foundation, Inc. (Pirate Club) for athletic scholarships. This gift is in addition to a previous will bequest that gives 25 percent of their estate to ECU.
"There's a trust factor. We feel the leadership in place now will use it effectively in the area where it's needed most," Woody said.
"This region and this university are very important to us. We love eastern North Carolina and we care about what happens here. This is our way to give back and pay it forward," Jennifer added.
In her view, being an athlete is wonderful, but being a student is just as important. A scholarship will benefit students now and later in life, she said. Jennifer and Woody know the value of education as both are first-generation college students who were serious students during their time at ECU.
"If we hadn't have come to ECU and had the experiences we had, we would not be where we are today," Woody said.
Just as Woody trusted his dean back in 1981, he and Jennifer are trusting ECU again with their generous philanthropy. And if the past is any indication, the future will be just as bright.
