ALVA – Twenty-five endowments established, a record-setting fundraising year totaling more than $5.6 million raised and a new record number of donors (1,445) – these were some of the achievements celebrated at the Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association's annual meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 20. The annual meeting, which took place on Northwestern Oklahoma State University's Alva campus, covered details of the recently completed fiscal year (July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016).

The agenda also included a presentation from James D. Hinkle, Hinkle & Company, PLLC. Hinkle reported a clean audit of the Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association for fiscal year 2015-16.

Dr. Janet Cunningham (left), university president, thanks Gene (right) and Virginia Stands (center) for their contributions to Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

Following Hinkle, Steve Bahm – the Northwestern Foundation & Alumni Association's investment advisor – reported the investments had a positive 6 percent return for the trailing 12 months. Earlier in the day, the Investment Committee unanimously approved following Steve Bahm and his partners as they transition from Morgan Stanley to their own firm, 6 Meridian. 6 Meridian is a Securities and Exchange Commission registered advisory firm headquartered in Wichita, Kansas.

"We have had an amazing year thanks to our generous donors and the outstanding Northwestern Team," said Skeeter Bird, Northwestern Foundation CEO. "We exceeded our previous fundraising record set in 2012 by more than $1.5 million. I don't know how we will ever exceed that but I said the same thing in 2012. I do know that about anything is possible when you are surrounded by amazing people focused on a common goal – our students."