Building Legacies
Arnold C. Ott Living Center
There are 11 suite-style living centers named for Grand Valley Board of Trustees members Richard M. DeVos, Icie Macy Hoobler, Paul A. Johnson, William A. Kirkpatrick, Arnold C. Ott, Robert C. Pew, William F. Pickard, Bill & Sally Seidman, Dale Stafford, Maxine M. Swanson, and Ella Koeze Weed. All the buildings are divided into suites consisting of two double-bed rooms and a bath.
Arnold Ott was the longest serving university board member in the state of Michigan. Ott, a founding member of the Grand Valley State Colleges Board of Trustees, was appointed in 1960 and served 28 years.
Arnold Ott earned his B.S. degree from Central Michigan University in Chemistry and a Ph.D from Michigan State University. He worked with Hercules Co., Dow Chemical Co., and was with the UpJohn Company which was known world-wide for research on the systhesis of cortisone.
Ott co-founded ten Michigan companies, including the Ott Chemical Company of Muskegon, Michigan, and holds authorship on more than 50 domestic and foreign patents as well as 19 technical publications. He was named the 1979 "Entreprenuer of the Year" by the Research Directors Association of Chicago, IL and recieved the "Distinguished Alumni Award" from the Michigan State University Alumni Association.
Arnold Ott and his wife, Clare, raised two children. Dr. Ott is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the Midwest, Who's Who in IRI, American Men of Science, Leaders in American Science and Leading Men of the United States of America.
He passed away May 12, 2008 at the age of 90.
Ott Living Center was dedicated in 1987.
For more information regarding housing at GVSU, click here.
Page last modified December 12, 2012
