For more than two decades, Oakland University has been fortunate enough to be able to call Hugh Elliott a dear friend and supporter.

Mr. Elliott, president and CEO of Elliot Group International in Auburn Hills, Mich., and his wife, Nancy, have been avidly involved in the university since the early 1990s when Mr. Elliott came to know OU through a friend who introduced him to Grizzly athletics.

The couple’s generosity to the School of Business Administration eventually led to the naming of the R. Hugh and Nancy Elliott Hall of Business and Information Technology. They also endowed a scholarship for student-athletes majoring in business and they are members of The President’s Club and Varner Society. The Elliotts were named honorary alumni in 2003. In addition, they are staunch supporters of the Golden Grizzlies.  Mr. Elliott’s generous support of athletics led to the naming of the Hugh and Nancy Elliott Room in the O’rena. In addition, he established the President’s Invitational golf outing, a major fundraiser for the department raising more than $1 million for scholarships used by the Athletic Department and the Honors College. He also formed the first athletics volunteer committee dedicated to fundraising.

Recognizing the importance of a business education fortified by competition, Hugh and Nancy recently endowed a scholarship for an OU student-athlete majoring in business. He has established several endowments, including the R. Michael O’Brien Athletic Scholarship in honor of his 30-year friendship with Michael O’Brien. When O’Brien lost a battle with cancer in January 2008, Elliott knew he needed to do something to honor his friend. He established the award with a $50,000 initial donation. The scholarship endowment was augmented by a gift of $25,000 from Leslie O’Brien, Michael’s wife. Elliott’s plan is to be the catalyst for a fully endowed scholarship.

He also helped raise additional money for OU Business School projects by being a part of the Elliott/Stinson Challenge. As part of the plans for celebrating the SBA's 40th Anniversary, R. Hugh Elliott along with alumni Craig and Ann Stinson have issued a Challenge to alumni and friends of the School of Business Administration. During the challenge, gifts made to the SBA were matched by them up to the cumulative cap of $500,000.

Mr. Elliott was born in Mt. Lebanon, PA. He attended Virginia Tech and received a bachelors of Business Administration degree from Parsons College.   After entry into the business community working in sales at J&LSteel and, later, the Kendall Company, he formed Elliott Group International in 1974. Originally located in Birmingham, Mich., when Mr. Elliott purchased the distribution portion of G. S. Staunton, he later moved the business to Rochester Hills, Mich. and established a second company, Automotive Plastics and Tubing.

In 1987, Elliott Tape established offices and warehousing in El Paso, Texas to service the maquiladoras.  As the automotive industry required a new product, Mr. Elliott, along with his partners, started Cast Films in 1992, which produces vinyl tape products.  In an effort to grow globally, Elliott Group International (EGI) established a joint venture partnership with a French company.  In 1995, Mr. Elliott was bestowed the honor of “Des Chevaliers du Tastevin” by the French government.  With further global expansion in 1998, EGI established offices in Singapore and the Netherlands.

In addition to his work with OU, Hugh Elliott has been involved with the Marist Academy and Notre Dame Preparatory School as part of their coaching staff and financial supporter.