Don & Gloria Graber
Don Graber’s road to corporate CEO began in Braceville, a small town in northeastern Ohio that wasn’t big enough for a traffic light. After his high school graduation, Don headed to Ohio State to begin studying for his undergraduate degree in engineering. Meanwhile, most of his male classmates went straight to work in the local mills.
“They were making $15 to $20 an hour, and I was hitchhiking to Columbus to go to college,” he reminisced. “But if I look back, education has been a huge differentiator in my life. Had I not gotten the education, I would have ended up like a lot of my classmates.”
Unlike the prosperity of the 1950s and 1960s when Don was growing up, the steel, rubber, and automotive industries in his hometown have now been decimated. Most of his graduating class of 44 students worked for these companies.
The importance of earning a college education had been instilled in Don from a very early age.
Don’s father was a school superintendent and coach, and his mother was a teacher. “Education was a big deal in the family,” he explained. “The dinner table discussion was never if you’re going to college, it was always when.”
Don went on to earn an M.B.A. at Ohio University, worked 16 years at General Electric, and then spent 12 years at Black & Decker. In 1996, he moved to Dayton to join the Huffy Corporation, where he would serve as chairman, president, and CEO until his retirement in 2004.
After relocating to the Miami Valley, Don and his wife of 46 years, Gloria, were introduced to Wright State University theatre by their friends Howard and Sally Stevens.
Gloria Graber remembers being wowed by a production of Carousel. “I will never forget that. I was blown away by the talent of these students,” she said.
“I am awed by what these students can do in the theatre at Wright State. I’ve seen Broadway plays, but some of them here blow me away,” said Gloria.
The Grabers began attending more theatre performances on campus, and Don joined an ad hoc theatre advisory group at Wright State. He also served on the university’s Board of Trustees for nine years, including two years as chairman. His term ended in June 2011.
The Grabers’ involvement with Wright State would ultimately evolve into helping sponsor the annual ArtsGala and making a financial commitment to the expansion and modernization of the Creative Arts Center.
“If our theatre, dance, and motion pictures are going to stay one of the top five programs in the United States, they’re going to have to have top five facilities to attract the quality of students they want to attract,” Don explained.
From the beginning, the Grabers have been nothing but impressed by the quality of the performing arts at Wright State.
“It’s something that is leading edge and something that I would like to see stay leading edge going forward,” said Don. “It is kind of amazing. You go to some of those shows and you almost think you are on Broadway.”
The Grabers would know. They have traveled around the world and have lived outside of New York City and Toronto, two cities that are highly regarded for their outstanding theatre and arts.
“I am awed by what these students can do in the theatre at Wright State. I’ve seen Broadway plays, but some of them here blow me away,” said Gloria. “Every year we see how the students progress and I like to follow that.”
While they both joke that they have no artistic abilities of their own, the Grabers have always been fascinated by those who do.
“In this world, you need a balance. The arts are important,” Don advised. “People want to live in an area that is well balanced. If you want to bring new businesses to the Miami Valley, there needs to be the right kinds of things that people enjoy—and the arts are one of those.”
The Grabers believe in giving back. When choosing Wright State as one of the beneficiaries of their philanthropic and community activities, two of their great loves came together: education and the arts.
“I’m proud to give these students an opportunity to further their education in motion pictures, dance, and theatre, because I never had that opportunity,” said Gloria.
Don and Gloria were attracted to Wright State because of its high percentage of first-generation college students and the number of students coming from the lower end of the economic spectrum.
“We need to have universities that also serve that clientele,” said Don. “It’s all about the students—to give them the chance to be whatever they can be.”
And that is exactly what Don and Gloria Graber are doing—from attending almost every Wright State musical and play to championing the next generation of performing artists with their generous financial support.
“From the first time that I met Don and Gloria Graber, these two marvelous people have proven to be key supporters of the arts at Wright State,” said Stuart McDowell, chair of the Department of Theatre, Dance, and Motion Pictures.
“Don has been, from the get-go, a big fan of musicals in our department, and was a founding member of the Board of Advisers for Theatre, Dance, and Motion Pictures. They’re a rare combination of enthusiasm, participation, and philanthropy!”
