Two public spaces in Bluffton University's soon-to-be-completed Sommer Center for Health and Fitness Education will be named for two couples who provided substantial financial support and volunteer leadership for "Extending Our Reach-The Campaign for Bluffton," which funded the new building.
The university's Board of Trustees acted recently to designate Bluffton's new intercollegiate basketball and volleyball court as Copeland Court, in honor of Larry and Shirley Copeland of Findlay, Ohio, and the multipurpose room overlooking the court as the Reichenbach Room, recognizing Tom and Helen Reichenbach of Bethesda, Md.
Larry Copeland, a 1965 Bluffton alumnus, and Tom Reichenbach, a 1958 graduate, are members of the Board of Trustees and co-chairs of the university's comprehensive campaign, which has raised more than $32.75 million for operations, endowment and the new building. Both individuals are also members of the university's Athletics Hall of Fame.
"Bluffton is profoundly grateful for the volunteer campaign leadership commitments and the significant financial support of these two trustee couples," said Bluffton's president, Dr. James M. Harder. "It is most fitting that the board has recognized their enduring support of the university's mission in the naming of two significant public spaces within the new Sommer Center--a facility that will serve Bluffton students for many years to come."
Larry Copeland, who grew up in Lima, Ohio, earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Bluffton and a master's degree from the University of Toledo. In 1975, he founded the financial services agency that is now Copeland Financial Wealth Management, where he is chief executive officer, an American Portfolios Financial Services Registered Principal and a Chartered Financial Consultant.
Early in his career, he was a business teacher and coach at several area high schools and at Bluffton. He was inducted into the Bluffton Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001 for his achievements in track and football, and became a trustee in 2006. He and his wife have three adult children.
Tom Reichenbach, a trustee since 2005, also earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Bluffton. After graduation, the Pandora, Ohio, native began working for Lincoln National Life Insurance Co. in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Promotions later took him to Chicago and Washington, D.C., where he retired in 1992 as regional general manager of Lincoln National's employee benefit division. He was inducted into Bluffton's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005 for his accomplishments in football, baseball and track. He and his wife are members of Chevy Chase (Md.) United Methodist Church, where he has been a choir member for more than 45 years. The Reichenbachs have four adult children.
Bluffton will recognize the Copeland and Reichenbach families--as well as the Sommers, the Illinois family for whom the new building was named in April--on Saturday, Oct. 13, during Homecoming weekend on campus. The facility is scheduled to open for the 2012-13 basketball season.
In addition to the basketball and volleyball arena and multipurpose space, the 60,000-square-foot Sommer Center will house the academic department of health, fitness and sport science; a weight and fitness center for all students; a sports medicine center; athletics offices; and practice and intramural facilities.
Located north of Marbeck Center on campus, the building is expected to be the first at Bluffton to be certified under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system.