At a press conference recently, the Alamo Colleges District announced a $2.445 million gift from noted philanthropist F. O'Neil Griffin to fund scholarships and programs at the Alamo Colleges District Greater Kerrville Center. This is the largest donation ever received by the Alamo Colleges Foundation.
Specifically, the gift provides $1,222,500 to be added to the Neil and Elaine Griffin Foundation Endowed Kerrville Opportunity Scholarship, which Griffin established in 2010 with a $1.05 million gift. Another $500,000 will fund renovations at the center's Career and Technical Education Building and $722,500 will establish the Neil and Gena Griffin Endowed Excellence Fund to provide ongoing funds to strengthen programs, facilities and operations at the center.
Griffin is a noted Kerrville business leader and charitable donor. He is the former owner of the First National Bank of Kerrville and former chairman and CEO of Mountain Banks, Ltd., a multibank holding company. He has also has made generous gifts to Peterson Regional Medical Center and Schreiner University in Kerrville.
"If you are blessed, you are supposed to share it with others," said Griffin, explaining his approach to philanthropy.
The Greater Kerrville Center is located in the historic, former Tivy Education Center at 1012 Barnett Street in Kerrville. The facility was funded by a capital campaign that raised $2.2 million. The Griffin Foundation also contributed the first $250,000 to the capital campaign.
