By Ariel West, Communication Specialist
Oklahoma Beta Phi and Phi Delta Theta Province President Mike Hyatt has continuously given to his communities, and his contributions to the Oklahoma State University community are no different.
Hyatt is one of three distinguished OSU alumni who will be inducted later this year into the Spears School of Business Hall of Fame, the highest honor awarded by the Spears School. The 2016 Hall of Fame banquet is scheduled for Nov. 11 in Stillwater.
Born in Texas, Hyatt relocated to Muskogee, Oklahoma, at a young age. He graduated from OSU with a bachelor’s degree in finance in 1967 and served in the United States Army before continuing on to Texas Christian University for his MBA in 1974. Throughout his undergraduate career at OSU, Hyatt served on his fraternity’s leadership team and the OSU Interfraternity Council as well as being active in ROTC. Hyatt also worked at Harold’s, a popular clothing store that closed in 2008.
“Working at Harold’s was a great experience for me,” Hyatt said. “It taught me a lot about how to dress and how to market to people, and we were kind of entrepreneurs in our own space. A lot of fraternity and sorority men and women worked there, so there was a great sense of competition amongst the different houses. I worked with a lot of great people, including (OSU President) Burns Hargis.”
His experiences at OSU didn’t disappoint. Hyatt’s professional career took off early as he served as vice president of the First National Bank of Fort Worth, Texas, from 1973-1980. He quickly moved to serving as president of the Metroplex National Bank in Arlington, Texas, from 1980-1982 before returning to First National Bank of Fort Worth as senior vice president in 1982. He held the position until he became president of Texas Commerce Bank in Fort Worth in 1985.
In 1992, Hyatt put away his life as a banker and became a financial adviser. He currently serves as the senior vice president of investments for USB Financial Services, Inc. in Fort Worth.
“Banking was a fine start, but being a financial adviser was my true calling,” Hyatt said. “I like helping clients.”
He likes helping everyone, in fact. Hyatt has been a continuous donator to the Spears School of Business and the School of Marketing and International Business for several decades and attends OSU events in the Dallas area regularly. He is involved with the Sister Cities International organization, he serves on the Board of Governors for the OSU Foundation, and he is an investment committee member for Pacific Retirement Services. Hyatt also created two scholarships: The Michael S. Hyatt Scholarship for new business students, and the Michael S. Hyatt Distinguished Graduate Fellowship, which is given each year to a full-time graduate student in the School of International Studies. In addition to these scholarships, Hyatt also supports the annual Brighter Orange events, which raises scholarships for North Texas students.
He is the recipient of many awards, including the A B Alcott Outstanding Alumnus award from Oklahoma Beta Chapter, Phi Delta Theta; the Bob Bolen award for Board Service from the Fort Worth Sister Cities; Chairman’s Award from Sister Cities International, and the Orange Star Award from the Spears School of Business. He was also honored as an Honorary Citizen in Nagaoka, Japan.
“Make yourself better, and give back to your communities” Hyatt said. “You go to school to get a degree, but you really need to be involved. It’s one of the most helpful things you can do socially and culturally. A lot of the things that have happened to me throughout my life were because of the people I know. I want to do what I can for the world.”
As a long time donor to the university and a member of the OSU Foundation, Hyatt is well known for his generosity and dedication to serving his communities.
“Civic involvement has always been a part of Mike’s lifeblood,” said Diane Crane, senior director of development and team lead for the Spears School of Business at the OSU Foundation. “He is avid in his commitments to community and to providing service as well as financial support to the causes that matter most. He is a model of consistency in his dedication and servant leadership, and he genuinely cares that students have the best possible experiences and opportunities to reach their potential and, in turn, have a meaningful impact on their communities. He is one of the most selfless people I’ve ever met.”
Hyatt lives in Fort Worth with his wife, Rae. They have no children and pursue their passions for Africa, health and welfare, and community involvement. Hyatt enjoys golfing, traveling, reading and history.
Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant system that cuts across disciplines to better prepare students for success. Oklahoma’s only university with a statewide presence, OSU improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation, and the world. The Spears School of Business is dedicated to the original land-grant vision of integrated, high-quality teaching, research and outreach. For more information, call 405-744-5064 or visit spears.okstate.edu. To learn more about the Spears School of Business, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.
