OTC receives 6-figure donation from American National

Ozarks Technical Community College secured a six-figure donation for its Robert W. Plaster Center for Advanced Manufacturing that's under construction at the Springfield campus.

Insurance provider American National provided the gift, through which it's sponsoring the American National Business Incubation Center, according to a news release.

“American National is proud of the commitment to higher education in the Ozarks, and this new center continues that legacy in a vital and exciting way,” said Chuck La Tournous, vice president of marketing at American National, in the release. “Businesses are the lifeblood of our economy, and we’re proud to support the next generation of workers and entrepreneurs as they discover and embrace new technologies and new programs to create a brighter, sustainable future for us all.”

The $40 million, 120,000-square-foot Plaster Center is slated for completion in summer 2022, Springfield Business Journal previously reported. The two-story building is being built by general contractor Crossland Construction Co. Inc. and was designed by Dake Wells Architecture Inc. and Chicago-based Perkins & Will Inc.

American National joins other donors, including Larry and Donna Snyder and The Durham Co. Both contributed six-figure gifts in May.

American National last month announced it agreed to a $5 billion purchase offer by Canadian company Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners Ltd. (NYSE: BAMR). Brookfield, which operates its headquarters in Toronto, intends to maintain the Springfield office at 1949 E. Sunshine St., dubbed American National Center.