A Legacy of Giving
By Ariel West
Mike Hyatt has continually given to his communities, and his contributions to the Oklahoma State University community are no different.
Hyatt was one of three distinguished OSU alumni who were inducted into the Spears School of Business Hall of Fame, the highest honor awarded by the Spears School, on Nov. 11 in Stillwater.
Born in Texas, Hyatt grew up mostly in Muskogee, Okla. He graduated from OSU with a bachelor’s degree in finance in 1967 and served in the U.S. Army before going to Texas Christian University for his MBA in 1974. 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 says. “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.”
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 moved to 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 that position until becoming 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 says. “I like helping clients.”
In fact, he likes helping everyone. Hyatt has been a continual donor 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, serves on the Board of Governors for the OSU Foundation and 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, Hyatt also supports the annual Brighter Orange events, which raise scholarship funds for North Texas students.
He has received many awards, including the AB Alcott Outstanding Alumnus award from Oklahoma Beta Chapter, Phi Delta Theta; the Bob Bolen award for Board Service from the Fort Worth Sister Cities; the Chairman’s Award from Sister Cities International; and the Orange Star Award from the Spears School of Business. He was also made an honorary citizen in Nagaoka, Japan.
“Make yourself better, and give back to your communities,” Hyatt says. “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 longtime donor to the university and a member of the OSU Foundation, Hyatt is well known for his generosity and dedication to his communities.
“Civic involvement has always been a part of Mike’s lifeblood,” says Diane Crane, senior director of development and team lead for the Spears School 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 pursue their passions for Africa, health and welfare, and community involvement. Hyatt enjoys golfing, traveling, reading and history.