In October 2007, Jo and Benjamin M. Statler announced that they would give a $25 million gift to WVU. The first $5 million of this gift will go to the WVU Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center. A large portion of those funds will be used to purchase a mobile digital mammography unit to be called Bonnie’s Bus. Bonnie’s Bus is named after, Bonnie Wells Wilson, Mrs. Statler’s late mother. This mobile digital mammograpy unit will bring WVU’s advanced services to women throughout the rural parts of West Virginia. The state of West Virginia will provide an additional $2.5 million in matching funds for cancer research through its Eminent Scholars Program. These funds will be used to recruit physician scientists at the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center.
The remaining $20 million of the Statler gift will go to support other Health Sciences programs, the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, as well as a new scoreboard at the WVU Coliseum. The donors, Jo and Ben Statler, are both natives of Monongalia County and attended Clay-Battelle High School together, marrying shortly after graduation. Ben earned his degree in mining engineering from WVU, while working the night shift at the Pursglove mine. Before their children were born, Jo worked for the WVU School of Dentistry. Ben Statler spent much of his career with Consolidation Coal Company, working his way up to become Senior Vice President of Mining for CONSOL in 1996. He formed his own mining company in 1999. In July 2003, Ben Statler, LLC and Questor Management acquired the assets of U.S. Steel Mining Company and founded PinnOak Resources, LLC. Ben Statler served as President and CEO of PinnOak until he sold the company in July 2007.
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