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In 1989, Jay
Wilkinson received the prestigious NCAA Silver
Anniversary award given each year to recognize
six distinguished former student-athletes on the
occasion of their 25th anniversary as college
graduates. In order to be eligible, the nominee
must be a college graduate, varsity letter-winner
during his or her college days and has achieved
personal distinction since graduation.
Other recent honorees include Good
Morning America’s Robin Roberts; federal
judge Cormac Carney; and Steve Young, member of
both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
Those individuals are in good company
with Jay Wilkinson, who for more than 30 years
achieved business success in the investment world.
He served as a global partner of a multi-billion-dollar
investment management firm, held the position
of executive vice president for one of the nation’s
leading life insurance companies and was president
of the industry leader in sponsoring public-sector
deferred compensation plans.
During his business career, Jay
received numerous honors and awards including
the Distinguished Service Award from the United
States Conference of Mayors.
As a younger man, Jay devoted his
time and considerable talents to politics, serving
an executive assistant to the governor of Oklahoma,
and as a top aid during Richard Nixon’s first
term in the White House. At the age of just 28,
Jay himself made a run for Congress, narrowly
losing to a long-time incumbent in Oklahoma’s
Fourth Congressional District.
As the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award
indicates, Jay also excelled athletically.
Jay was a first-team All-American
football player at Duke University in 1963, finishing
eighth for the Heisman Trophy award. He excelled
throughout his college football career and today
is a member of the Duke University Sports Hall
of Fame. Jay also was a high school All-American,
leading both his football and basketball teams
to state championship games.
Jay Wilkinson and his wife,
Rita, have four children and six grandchildren.
They make their home in the Nichols Hills section
of Oklahoma City.
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