University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Carlisle-Faulkner Field To Be Dedicated On Saturday
10/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Carlisle-Faulkner Field To Be Dedicated On Saturday
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ? Southern Miss Director of Athletics Richard Giannini has announced that the football field, Carlisle-Faulkner Field, at M.M. Roberts Stadium (a.k.a. "The Rock") will be officially dedicated on Saturday in a pregame ceremony.
This dedication will honor one of the University's most-generous supporters, Gene and Karen Carlisle. During the summer, the field was renamed Carlisle-Faulkner Field at M.M. Roberts Stadium in honor of entrepreneur, Southern Miss graduate and Golden Eagle supporter, Gene Carlisle, who has provided outstanding support and contributions to the Athletics Department and the University.
The Field was originally named Faulkner Field in 1932 when the stadium first opened. L.E. Faulkner, a local Hattiesburg businessman, donated materials, equipment and recruited unemployed laborers to do the construction. The stadium was built at no cost to the college and dedicated on Oct. 29, 1932.
Money donated by Carlisle was used to install the Momentum Turf by Sportexe in place of the grass field in Roberts Stadium. The project was started in March with Hattiesburg-based Warren Paving constructing the field base and then SportExe laying the turf in April.
Carlisle graduated from Southern Miss in 1964 and since then has been a dedicated alumnus. He served as former chairman of the College of Business and Economic Development?s Business Advisory Council, as well as currently serving on the board of Directors for both the University?s Foundation and the Athletic Foundation. He chairs the campaign to raise funds for the College of Business and Economic Development?s new building and was named the College?s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 2002. He was inducted into the University of Southern Mississippi Hall of Fame in 2003.
He and his wife, Karen, donated a Wendy?s restaurant to the University in 1999. The restaurant was promptly leased back to Carlisle Corporation, with the University collecting nearly $100,000 to use for scholarships. In 2001, the university sold the restaurant back to the Carlisles for $700,000, further benefiting the University.
Carlisle was selected as the 2004 Southeast Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young and was nominated for the National Entrepeneur of the Year. In September 2004, he received the prestigious Wendy?s Founder Award presented annually to the outstanding franchisee of the year that embodies the values and common-sense business approach of Founder, Dave Thomas.
He serves as a trustee for the Wendy?s National Advertising Program. He received the Wendy Award as 2001 Operator of the Year for the Southeast Region, Diamond Award for 2000 Sales Building Initiative, Sparkle Award for 2000 and 1999 Market Sales Increases.
Carlisle resides in Memphis with his family.
