CRISP NAMED PHILANTHROPIST OF THE YEAR BY EXECUTIVES

One of Southeast Missouri State University's major financial donors, Rosemary Crisp of Marion, Ill., was named Philanthropist of the Year Wednesday by the St. Louis Chapter of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives.

The society has more than 14,000 members nationwide.

Crisp was presented the award at the 16th annual awards luncheon and celebration of National Philanthropy Day in St. Louis.

Don Ford, director of development at Southeast, nominated Crisp. Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar wrote a letter in support of her nomination.

Dr. Bill Atchley, Southeast president, said Crisp has given her "time, talent, money and energy to support this university."

Crisp and her husband, Harry, have been major backers of the university for years.

Rosemary Crisp has been a big supporter of the university's nursing program. She helped fund renovation of a campus building into the Rosemary Berkel Crisp Hall of Nursing in 1988.

She has been active in a number of nursing organizations, including the American Nurses Association.

She founded Southeast's President's Council, an organization of major donors, in 1988. Members of the group have each contributed $10,000 or more to the university.

Members serve as advisers to the university president.

Under Crisp's leadership, the President's Council has contributed more than $29 million to the university foundation.

In addition, the Crisps donated a former Pepsi-Cola bottling plant in Malden to the university foundation in 1987. The former plant has become the Harry L. Crisp Bootheel Education Center.

The Crisps own Pepsi-Cola plants in Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri. They have six children.