2002 Tiger Pride Award

Ray Phillips

In Kansas City, Ray is Mr. Picnic Man! That represents only one facet of this multi-faceted volunteer leader.

Over the past two decades, Ray has served as a member of the KC Chapters’ Executive Committee and two terms as its president. There is not a day that passes without Ray communicating to others or doing something on behalf of the chapter’s efforts to support MU.

In addition to shepherding the Chapter’s top fund-raising effort, Ray has organized alumni travel to bowl games and conference sporting events and tirelessly solicited active involvement in the Chapter and University on the part of younger alums. He works to support attendance at the Chapter’s annual “Meet the Deans” night and generously supports all of the chapter’s fund-raising projects.

Ray is also active in supporting Tiger Athletics. He has served on the Alumni Association’s Athletic Committee and is a recipient of the Golden Tiger Award from the Athletic Department. For more than 30 years, he has been an active fund-raiser for the Tiger Scholarship Fund, serving as a district director.

One nominator wrote: “With amazing energy, Ray…is a more active, involved, enthusiastic hands-on board and chapter member than most people half his age. …He epitomizes sustained volunteer service, not just long-term membership.”

Retired after 38 years with Southwestern Bell, Ray is now owner and president of Datel, Inc., a telephone systems provider company. He lives in Blue Springs, Missouri with his wife Mary Sue.