About Jay

In 1989, Jay Wilkinson received the prestigious NCAA Silver Anniversary award given each year to recognize six distinguished former student-athletes on the occasion of their 25th anniversary as college graduates. In order to be eligible, the nominee must be a college graduate, varsity letter-winner during his or her college days and has achieved personal distinction since graduation.

Other recent honorees include Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts; federal judge Cormac Carney; and Steve Young, member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

Those individuals are in good company with Jay Wilkinson, who for more than 30 years achieved business success in the investment world. He served as a global partner of a multi-billion-dollar investment management firm, held the position of executive vice president for one of the nation’s leading life insurance companies and was president of the industry leader in sponsoring public-sector deferred compensation plans.

During his business career, Jay received numerous honors and awards including the Distinguished Service Award from the United States Conference of Mayors.

As a younger man, Jay devoted his time and considerable talents to politics, serving an executive assistant to the governor of Oklahoma, and as a top aid during Richard Nixon’s first term in the White House. At the age of just 28, Jay himself made a run for Congress, narrowly losing to a long-time incumbent in Oklahoma’s Fourth Congressional District.

As the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award indicates, Jay also excelled athletically.

Jay was a first-team All-American football player at Duke University in 1963, finishing ninth for the Heisman Trophy award. He excelled throughout his college football career and today is a member of the Duke University Sports Hall of Fame. Jay also was a high school All-American, leading both his football and basketball teams to state championship games.

Jay Wilkinson and his wife, Rita, have four children and seven grandchildren. They make their home in the Nichols Hills section of Oklahoma City.

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