Grady-White Boats Commits $$$$




"East Carolina University Director of Athletics Jon Gilbert announced that Grady-White Boats has committed to the largest donation in ECU Athletics and Pirate Club history. In recognition of this gift, the ECU athletics complex will be named the Grady-White Boats Athletic Campus.

Grady-White Boats' gift will support the funding of a proposed state of the art weight training facility located within the current athletic footprint that will benefit all sports programs. To commemorate this significant donation, five entrance signs to the athletics campus will feature the Grady-White Boats name.

"We are incredibly grateful to Grady-White Boats and Eddie Smith for their generosity and investment in our athletics department," Gilbert said. "Grady-White is recognized as one of the most renowned boat manufacturers in the world and we are thrilled with the partnership. Eddie's passion for Eastern North Carolina and the Greenville community is undeniable. His generosity and commitment to our athletics department as we all endure these difficult times inspires me about what we can accomplish at this great university with the support of our community and alumni. This gift is a continuation of Grady-White Boats long-term investment in ECU. They have contributed generously over the years with gifts to many departments throughout the university, and multiple scholarships - all helping ECU be even stronger for the future.

"This transformational gift will support all sports programs and the overall welfare of our student-athletes. Current and future Pirates will be impacted by this gift for years to come. We hope this gift will inspire others to invest in our student-athletes."

When complete, the distinctive, lighted signage to the ECU Grady-White Boats Athletic Campus will increase the pride for everyone associated with Pirate Nation. Signs will be at the main entrance to the athletics complex off Charles Boulevard as well as the entrance to Clark-LeClair Stadium, Fieldside Drive, Berkley and 14th Street and Charles Boulevard and Ficklen Drive.

Founded in 1959, Grady-White Boats builds 26 models from 18 to 45 feet at its 500,000 square-foot facility in Greenville, N.C. The company has been under continuous private ownership since 1968 by Eddie Smith, NMMA Hall of Fame member. Grady-White has been awarded every third-party customer satisfaction award ever presented in the marine industry, including the National Marine Manufacturers Association Customer Satisfaction Index award for all 18 years the recognition has been granted. The company was awarded Highest Ranked Customer Satisfaction in the Coastal Fishing boats segment by J.D. Power Associates for all nine years that studies were conducted in the marine industry."

Thanks Eddie!!

How much?

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(08-07-2020 11:15 AM)panama Wrote:  How much?

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They haven't announced. Townebank gave $3m for the Tower. Has to be more than that.

(08-07-2020 11:15 AM)panama Wrote:  How much?

Apparently enough to rename the university Grady-White Boats.

(08-07-2020 11:15 AM)panama Wrote:  How much?

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Also wondering that, article doesn't give an amount. Grady-White is a North Carolina company, looks like UNC got the same. Link.
Either way HUGE SUPPORT to get for ECU especially in these budget crunch times.

(08-07-2020 11:35 AM)TIGERCITY Wrote:  

(08-07-2020 11:15 AM)panama Wrote:  How much?

Apparently enough to rename the university Grady-White Boats.

Congrats but Grady-White boats are not as like they were before. I think they are cutting corners on quality to make more $$ so they can give to ECU. So it should be named Grady-White Boat owners facility.

Congrats on the donation regardless.

Earlier this year, Eddie Smith Jr made the largest gift to the UNC Ram Club. The amount was not released.

Smith is very generous. How incredible for ECU.

https://www.wralsportsfan.com/unc-athlet.../19083642/

(08-07-2020 11:36 AM)MidknightWhiskey Wrote:  

(08-07-2020 11:15 AM)panama Wrote:  How much?

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Also wondering that, article doesn't give an amount. Grady-White is a North Carolina company, looks like UNC got the same. Link.
Either way HUGE SUPPORT to get for ECU especially in these budget crunch times.

As a recent college grad from the other end of the state, Eddie Smith moved to Greenville and bought a nearly bankrupt Grady-White Boats in 1968 with his father's help and worked it into a world-class boat company. A very nice gift for a UNC grad to give to ECU.

So are we tearing down the Murphy Center? Isn't that were the current weight room is located? Also I'm assuming Terry Holland's name will be replaced since the athletic complex was named for him.

From what Jon Gilbert said in an interview this has been in the works for some time, at least to the later part of 2019. Eddie Smith wanted to make a gift that would impact across all sports at ECU. The funds donated will be used to help fund a second strength and conditioning facility to be located on the athletic campus somewhere near the baseball stadium. At present all athletes plus the dance teams have to use the Murphy Center which greatly impacts the frequency, length and quality of scheduling workouts and lifting for all involved.

What are they gonna do with the $10,000?

(08-08-2020 12:14 AM)St. H. Gink Wrote:  What are they gonna do with the $10,000?

Rename the football stadium, "Bouncehouse, Too".

(08-12-2020 01:56 PM)chess Wrote:  

(08-08-2020 12:14 AM)St. H. Gink Wrote:  What are they gonna do with the $10,000?

Rename the football stadium, "Bouncehouse, Too".

Yeah but our stadium doesn’t bounce, it rocks.

(08-12-2020 02:55 PM)NoQuarterBrigade Wrote:  

(08-12-2020 01:56 PM)chess Wrote:  

(08-08-2020 12:14 AM)St. H. Gink Wrote:  What are they gonna do with the $10,000?

Rename the football stadium, "Bouncehouse, Too".

Yeah but our stadium doesn’t bounce, it rocks.

It has been echoing of late.

(08-12-2020 03:44 PM)griffin Wrote:  

(08-12-2020 02:55 PM)NoQuarterBrigade Wrote:  

(08-12-2020 01:56 PM)chess Wrote:  

(08-08-2020 12:14 AM)St. H. Gink Wrote:  What are they gonna do with the $10,000?

Rename the football stadium, "Bouncehouse, Too".

Yeah but our stadium doesn’t bounce, it rocks.

It has been echoing of late.

Haha...That’s the truth. But when it’s rocking, it sure is a beautiful thing.

(08-12-2020 04:07 PM)NoQuarterBrigade Wrote:  

(08-12-2020 03:44 PM)griffin Wrote:  

(08-12-2020 02:55 PM)NoQuarterBrigade Wrote:  

(08-12-2020 01:56 PM)chess Wrote:  

(08-08-2020 12:14 AM)St. H. Gink Wrote:  What are they gonna do with the $10,000?

Rename the football stadium, "Bouncehouse, Too".

Yeah but our stadium doesn’t bounce, it rocks.

It has been echoing of late.

Haha...That’s the truth. But when it’s rocking, it sure is a beautiful thing.

I like it, y'all would probably win best karaoke crowd

Congrats!

(08-07-2020 11:39 AM)Sideshow2313 Wrote:  

(08-07-2020 11:35 AM)TIGERCITY Wrote:  

(08-07-2020 11:15 AM)panama Wrote:  How much?

Apparently enough to rename the university Grady-White Boats.

Congrats but Grady-White boats are not as like they were before. I think they are cutting corners on quality to make more $$ so they can give to ECU. So it should be named Grady-White Boat owners facility.

Congrats on the donation regardless.

Lol, ok guy. Grady is known as one of, if not the highest quality boat in it's class. Not to mention they won 17 straight awards for highest customer service satisfaction in their class.

(08-12-2020 04:54 PM)Crowleys Ridge Tiger Wrote:  

(08-12-2020 04:07 PM)NoQuarterBrigade Wrote:  

(08-12-2020 03:44 PM)griffin Wrote:  

(08-12-2020 02:55 PM)NoQuarterBrigade Wrote:  

(08-12-2020 01:56 PM)chess Wrote:  Rename the football stadium, "Bouncehouse, Too".

Yeah but our stadium doesn’t bounce, it rocks.

It has been echoing of late.

Haha...That’s the truth. But when it’s rocking, it sure is a beautiful thing.

I like it, y'all would probably win best karaoke crowd

My hope is we will back to this level next year: