OTC to recognize Bill Foster with naming ceremony

Ozarks Technical Community College will recognize Bill Foster, of the Foster Hospitality Group, with a ceremony to officially name the Bill R. Foster Student Services on Monday, December 12, at 2 p.m.  Foster has presented the OTC Foundation, the Fundraising arm of the College, with three homes north of the OTC Springfield Campus, a gift valued at nearly $300,000.  The naming ceremony will be held in front of Foster Student Services, in the Information Commons West at the OTC Springfield Campus.  The public is invited to attend.

“Mr. Foster’s pride in his community and his belief in what OTC has to offer has led him to make a generous gift to the College,” said Dr. Hal Higdon, chancellor of the College. “We are grateful for his support, and we are pleased to honor him with the naming of our Student Services facility.”

Foster has been active in business for more than 60 years, with projects ranging from designing assisted-living homes to building hotels.  The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce named Mr. Foster the Springfieldian of the year in 2009.  Recently, Mr. Foster was named Philanthropist of the Year by the Ozarks Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

“The investment Mr. Foster has chosen to make in OTC is another example of his commitment to helping his community,” added Cliff Davis, vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement and executive director of the OTC Foundation.  “We are honored that he has chosen to support southwest Missouri by supporting education and training for its citizens.”

The OTC Foundation, now in its 14th year of operation, works to meet the ever-increasing needs of Ozarks Technical Community College through the funding of scholarships, new programs, and capital improvement projects.  The current Major Gifts Capital Campaign includes efforts to raise money for scholarships, as well as for a Center for Health Education, Student Support programs, and Workforce Development.