Oklahoma native John L. Massey grew up in Boswell, Guthrie, and Durant and graduated from Southeastern State University (now Southeastern Oklahoma State University) in 1960. While a senior in college, he won his first race for the State House of Representatives, serving two terms in that body and two additional terms in the state senate. Mr. Massey left the senate in 1970 to devote full attention to business interests. He has owned and established over 20 businesses, including banks, apartments, nursing homes, motels, shopping centers, real estate developments, and laundromats. He has operated Holiday Inns and other motels in southeastern Oklahoma and north Texas and has developed apartment complexes in both Durant and Oklahoma City. In 1966, he joined the Durant Bank and Trust Company as a director, and was appointed chairman of the board in 1986. With locations in 12 Oklahoma cities, the bank rose in assets from 24th to 4th in the State. He also served his state on the Ethics Commission, the Oklahoma Historical Society Board, Oklahoma Securities Commission, and beginning in 1995 served as a member of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, was its Chairman in 1998, and was appointed for a second nine-year term in 2001 by Governor Frank Keating. Massey has contributed $1 million to establish four John L. Massey Endowed Chairs in the School of Business at his alma mater as well as the landmark Durant Bank and Trust Building in Durant to the university to establish its Mainstreet Campus. In May of 2005, the business school was renamed in his honor.