MODEST MAGNIFICENCE

Plug a Google search for Cecil O’Brate and the returns are minimal. Startlingly so.

No Wikipedia page. No rundown of his massive accomplishments and portfolio. No scandals. Few stories, although his generous gift to OSU at least adds something current to otherwise outdated material. Not much of anything, with the exception being a spot in Ingram's: 50 Kansans You Should Know And even that offers nothing more than a bare bones bio.

One of the great mysteries of this technological time must be how a man who has made so much and given so much, with such a great story, can fly so far under the radar.

“That’s just who I am,” he said.

O’Brate doesn’t operate completely off the grid; not hardly. He’s just not seeking the spotlight in any way.

He could live anywhere, but chooses to reside in Garden City (population 26,658 according to the last census), his home for the last 60-plus years. O’Brate continues to elevate Garden City through his businesses and his implementation of a master development plan, stoked by the hefty $55 million, but also his vision.

His philanthropic efforts spread wide, with many focused on aiding youth and those in crisis or need. In the fall of 2013, Cecil and Frances established the O’Brate Foundation, which provides college scholarships for students who are graduates of the foster care system or those who struggle below poverty level.

To date, the O’Brate Foundation has sent approximately 400 students to college with contributions in excess of $3 million.

“You give these kids an education, and you’ve helped them a long ways in life,” Cecil said.

The book, Making It Happen , is filled with copies of letters from congressmen and senators recognizing his rich contributions to the state of Kansas and specifically Garden City. There are notes from the governor of Kansas, too.

And then there are photos and notes revealing a tight relationship with former President George W. Bush , a relationship O’Brate considers the highlight of his career. The O’Brates were welcomed to Dallas for an annual Bush Christmas party and Cecil found a way to draw George to Garden City for a questionand-answer session with the locals, including students, firemen and business executives.

After O’Brate handled the introduction, Bush responded: “Cecil, thanks! It’s always good to be with a country boy made good.”