A Lasting Impression

By Dollie Elliott

For many successful Oklahoma State alumni, there are certain moments in their college careers when one decision changed the trajectory of their lives. For Don Sample, that moment was in the summer of 1987 when he walked into the office of John Bale, associate dean of Oklahoma State University’s College of Business Administration.

It was the only time the pair met but Sample says the outcome of the meeting was an example of the kind of legacy Bale created. And the moment had a ripple effect that remains evident today.

As an undergraduate in the College of Business, Sample had a class transfer situation that would not allow him to remain at OSU. Bale reviewed Sample’s transcripts and formulated a plan to help him remain in the college.

“That moment was everything to me. It simply would have been the end of my college career, and I would have had to return home to Guymon, Oklahoma, to work on a farm. And I have a feeling I wasn’t the only student whose life was dramatically changed if not for Dr. Bale,” Sample says.

Today, Sample is a successful international executive for ConocoPhillips who has worked all over the world. He is among the many OSU dedicated alumni who have given generously to the future Business Building. The Wes and Mary Lea Sample Family Classroom will be used by hundreds of business students. “Who knows how far that ripple will keep going? These students’ business careers could impact the world,” Sample says.

John Bale is one of three distinguished OSU alumni who was inducted Nov. 11 into the Spears School of Business Hall of Fame, the highest honor awarded by the Spears School.

During his 30-year career at Oklahoma State, Bale served as an associate professor before becoming associate dean in the College of Business Administration.

Growing up in Dewey, Okla., Bale seemed to be a natural-born scholar, athlete and leader, excelling in everything he tried. He even became the drum major of his high school band after joining to impress a certain twirler who would later become his bride of 66 years.

Upon graduating from high school, Bale decided to enlist in the U.S. Army. After serving just one year, he was promoted to sergeant first class, being the first to do so that quickly. Less than one week after marrying his high school sweetheart, Beverly Roberts, Bale boarded a ship for Korea.

While in Korea, Bale endured intense battlefield conditions, including months of torturous weather. He was honorably discharged after earning the Bronze Star for meritorious service in a combat zone.

Bale became the first member of his family to attend college, thanks to the G.I. Bill. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s degree in business education from OSU. He later received his doctorate in business education from the University of Oklahoma.

Bale began his tenure at OSU as an associate professor in the College of Business Administration and was recognized as Outstanding Teacher of the Year in 1970. In 1978, longtime dean Richard W. Poole appointed Bale as the school’s first associate dean, a position he held for 21 years.

As the associate dean, Bale worked diligently to increase student enrollment and retention and was a strong advocate of diversity. He was honored as an OSU Regents Professor in July 1992.

Bale’s term as associate dean is believed to be the longest in the history of Oklahoma State’s business school. He was respected on campus not only for his academic achievements, but also his dedication to OSU extracurricular and academic organizations.

“I was very fortunate to have Dr. Bale as an adviser as I pursued my business degree from Oklahoma State University,” says Bill Self, head coach of the University of Kansas men’s basketball team. “He made sure that I was always on the right track.”

Bale worked tirelessly to carry out his administrative duties and was loyal and true to the faculty and the students of the university, striving to promote the achievement of excellence in himself and others.

Well-known for his ability to connect with students like Sample and Self, Bale’s colleagues also say he exemplifies the highest standards of integrity, intelligence, ethics, diligence and honesty.

“As a colleague, Dr. Bale was a man of integrity and fairness,” says longtime Spears School professor Lee Manzer, who began working alongside Bale as the head of the Department of Marketing in 1991.

Bale served on numerous boards and committees for groups such as the Athletic Council, the Alumni Association, the Student Council, and the Faculty Council. He was also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Eta Sigma, Delta Pi Epsilon and Pi Omega Pi.

He is listed in Leaders in Education, American Men and Women of Science, Personalities in the South, Dictionary of International Biography, and Who’s Who in the South and Southwest.

Bale is also a published author, having written books, articles in numerous educational journals, newsletters and other communications.

During his career, Bale served as an educational consultant for Oklahoma Christian College and a communications consultant for the Federal Aviation Administration. He was also a lecturer for management development programs. Bale served as president of the Oklahoma Business Education Association and president of the Beta Chapter of Delta Pi Epsilon. He was a member of the Southwest Placement Association, the Mountain-Plains Business Education Association, and American Business Communication Association.

He retired from OSU in May 1993.

Bale has been dedicated to public service and being a community volunteer for more than 70 years and continues to be involved throughout his retirement. He is involved in the Perkins Church of Christ and served for many years as an elder. He has also volunteered at the Stillwater Medical Center, senior citizens’ centers, and functions associated with the Lions Club organization.