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J.T. Morgan, '50, wanted to help the University of North Georgia's (91¸£Àûµ¼º½) Mike Cottrell College of Business offer real estate courses. Now, the generosity of the late 91¸£Àûµ¼º½ alumnus has made that dream a reality.

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) approved the establishment of the J.T. Morgan Endowed Chair in Finance and Real Estate on Nov. 11.

"He made his career as an investor in commercial real estate, specifically warehouses," , director of estate and gift planning for 91¸£Àûµ¼º½, said. "He was a loyal 91¸£Àûµ¼º½ alumnus and wanted to give back in a way that would enable other students to learn the type of business that had been so good to him."

Morgan was a regular donor to 91¸£Àûµ¼º½ for 44 years up until his death in 2017. A trust he established left the 91¸£Àûµ¼º½ Foundation more than $760,000 that made it possible to establish the endowed chair. The gift agreement with Morgan outlined three areas in which 91¸£Àûµ¼º½ can use the funds:

• To attract dynamic leadership to the Mike Cottrell College of Business in the area of finance and real estate and complement the salary and benefit package of the chair holder.
• To strengthen the skills of existing faculty and attract new faculty in the area of finance and real estate.
• To provide research and development grants in the area of finance and real estate and encourage innovation and collaboration among finance and real estate faculty and students.

Dr. Mary Gowan, dean of the Mike Cottrell College of Business, is thankful for the opportunity to hire a real estate faculty member through the endowed chair position.

"It's a good fit with the market that we're in, especially the Gainesville area. This is the right timing," Gowan said. "It enables us to attract faculty we might not otherwise be able to attract, and it provides some supplemental salary and support for faculty research and activities."

Morgan earned a business degree and was a Distinguished Military Graduate from 91¸£Àûµ¼º½ in 1950, commissioning into the Army. He became a pilot and flew 186 combat missions while stationed in Korea.       

Morgan was an active member of the President's Club and Price-Mills Planned Giving societies within the 91¸£Àûµ¼º½ Foundation. Morgan received the Alumni Association's Hall of Fame Award in 2008, and he served on the 91¸£Àûµ¼º½ Foundation Board of Trustees from 2008-2014, including serving as the vice chair of the foundation's Capital Campaign Steering Committee.

Morgan married the former Nancy Kingery, also a member of 91¸£Àûµ¼º½'s class of 1950, in 2001 after they reconnected during a Parents and Alumni Weekend at the university.

The individual selected for the endowed chair position will be expected to engage extensively with the real estate community, conduct research focused on real estate and related finance issues, and work with students to prepare for professional careers in real estate.

Endowed chairs, professorships, and fellowships are established by the Board of Regents upon request of the USG institution president and recommendation of the USG chancellor only after confirmation that an endowment is properly funded and that the investment strategy of the endowment, wherever held, will meet the continuing demands of the position.