Information from the Manhattan Mercury
Phil Howe, a banker, oil executive and philanthropist, has died. He was 92.
Howe opened Kansas State Bank in 1969, serving as president and CEO. He later became president of Griffith Oil Company, then founder and president of Master Medical Company. He also founded Baystone Financial Group.
It was his charitable contributions that will leave a lasting legacy, says Vern Henricks, President and CEO of the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation.
“A great man, a great citizen of Manhattan, a great friend and mentor. I’ve known Phil since 1997 and we’ve done a lot of things together, been on boards together, talked about philanthropy together. It’s something I’m going to miss,” Henricks said.
In 2013, Phil and his wife, Margaret, started the Howe Family Foundation, which has given millions to the community through the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation, both as donations and as matching funds through Grow Green Match Day.
“My predecessor approached Phil about being our matching donor and so the first year he gave $40,000 to Grow Green Match Day and after that year, he basically took the cap off and every year since then it’s been an unlimited match, 50 cents on the dollar, up to $10,000. His gift last year was over $500,000,” Henricks said.
Howe was born in Manhattan in 1932, the son of a K-State dean. He attended local schools and graduated from Sacred Heart Academy in 1950. In 1954, he earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from K-State.
He married Margaret Griffith, also a K-State grad, who died in 2014. They have four children.
Howe served in the U.S. Army before returning to Manhattan where he worked briefly in the insurance business. He then took a job as a loan officer at Union National Bank before opening Kansas State Bank.
Howe was active in the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. He served on the Dean’s Business Advisory Council for the College of Business Administration at K-State and is a past member of the KSU Foundation Board. Howe served for many years on the St. Mary’s Hospital Board, including as president and chairman.
Howe also was at the forefront of the inception of the K-State Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship in the College of Business Administration, according to K-State’s website.
Visitation will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home in Manhattan. Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Seven Dolors Catholic Church.
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