Samford's new business building dedicated

Samford University’s Brock School of Business has a new home. The school’s new Cooney Hall was dedicated on Sept. 4.

The building’s name was announced at the event in honor of Gary Cooney, vice chairman of McGriff, Seibels and Williams, Inc. and a Samford alumnus who pledged to underwrite half the cost of the building in 2013.

Sixty of the building's rooms have been sponsored prior to its opening, raising $2.6 million toward the building cost. Davis Architects designed the Georgian brick structure, and HOAR Construction completed the project ahead of schedule.

One of the rooms will be named in memory of John Wyatt, who was the victim of a plane crash in Shelby County in August. The Samford alumnus was 38. His parents, Gary and Mary Wyatt, were present at the dedication.

Also during the ceremony, Buck Brock, Samford’s vice president for business and financial affairs, spoke about the role of his father, Harry Brock, the namesake of the business school. He also pointed out that wood donor board in the building was made from a large red oak that long stood where the building is now located on the south side of campus. He also noted that an i-beam in the top of the building was signed by his father and a set of students.

“[My father] was proud of what was coming out of the ground here…” Brock said. “He is forever woven into this building.”