Founders’ Spotlight: Stanley C. Allyn

While there were many important individuals behind the founding of Wright State, there was no one more influential in making the project a reality than Stanley Charles Allyn, CEO of the National Cash Register Company. Mr. Allyn, who had successfully transformed NCR into a diversified, international corporation, had a special enthusiasm for public higher education. Coming from a modest background, he never forgot how important it was to have an affordable public university in his hometown. Leading up to his retirement in 1961, he wanted to help create this opportunity for the Dayton community and its growing population. As founder and first chair of the Area Progress Council, a civic organization of local business leaders, he made the creation of a public university in the Dayton Area a community priority. Through his influence all the major civic leaders got behind the project and a major local capital fund campaign was launched that paved the way for the building of the university. Allyn brought order, influence, and leadership to an often confusing and complicated project. Wright State University would not have been possible without him, and it was in tribute to him that the first building on campus would be called Allyn Hall.

You can find more photos of Stanley C. Allyn in the University Archives collection, the Dayton Daily News Archive (MS-458, Box 1115, “Allyn, Stanley C.”), and (through the end of the summer) in the “Founders’ Quad” exhibit on the first floor of Dunbar Library.

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