Casey Mankin honored with the inaugural Rising ECU Tiger Award

ADA, Okla. - East Central University recently hosted the Annual ECU Alumni Homecoming Gala, where the first-ever Rising ECU Tiger Award was presented to an ECU alumnus who has graduated between one and five years ago.

Casey Mankin was named the first-ever recipient of this award, "I am incredibly honored and humbled to be standing before you today as the recipient of the inaugural ECU Rising Tiger Award and to be recognized by East Central University, an institution that has been instrumental in my personal and professional development, it is truly a privilege."

Mankin is a graduate of ECU, where he received his Entrepreneurship Certification in the summer of 2019 and his bachelor's degree in Business Management in 2020.

"First, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the incredible staff and professors at ECU," said Mankin. "Your guidance, support and encouragement played such a crucial role in shaping who I am today."

Mankin continued, "I would like to give a special thanks to the Harland C. Stonecipher School of Business, as well, for providing me with a strong foundation that has empowered me to navigate the business word with confidence."

Utilizing his education in business management and entrepreneurship, Mankin took on a number of roles but found himself working with Mercy Hospital of Ada, where he began as a Regional Foundation Coordinator. In this role, he lead community initiatives and managed large-scale projects and drove strategic growth through his work on foundation events, campaigns and community development projects.

After two years in this position, Mankin has made the most of his determined work ethic, experience and education and has taken on the role of Business Development Manager for Mercy Hospital of Ada.

"My time at ECU was transformative. It gave me, not only the knowledge, but confidence to pursue my dreams," he said. "This award is not just a recognition of my achievements, but also a reflection of the incredible support system I've been fortunate to have along the way."

Mankin currently serves as Advisory Board Director for First United Bank of Ada, has previously been an Ada Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassador, he is a graduate of the Leadership Ada Class of 2023 and has been recognized as a NextGen Under 30 Award recipient in Health Care.

"I want to thank the most important people in my life, as well," Mankin noted. "My beautiful wife Daniela, a graduate from the ECU School of Business as well, thank you for your unwavering support, your love and your belief in me…we have two beautiful daughters as well and you bet your bottom dollar, they'll be here inside these walls at ECU in the future. And to my parents, thank you for always supporting me, no matter what path I chose. The constant encouragement, sacrifices and belief in me, have been the cornerstone to my successful."

Mankin chose to close out the ceremony with a piece of optimistic advice, "To my fellow Tigers, past, present and future, I encourage you to embrace the opportunities that come your way. Seek out challenges and stay true to your passions. ECU has given us all the tools we need to succeed and now its up to us to make the most of it."

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