Terrence M. Pegula ’73
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DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDS Terrence M. Pegula ’73 To Terrence M. Pegula for his business In 2010, Royal Dutch Shell bought the “We are glad to be able to give back to In 2011, he achieved his dream by acumen in energy development and his assets of East Resources, making it possible the institution that helped me to get purchasing the NHL Buffalo Sabres. The groundbreaking support of Penn State for Pegula to focus on his passions for my own professional start and to the following year, using hockey as a catalyst, student-athletes. hockey and philanthropy. He purchased communities that East Resources Inc. and he began development of HarborCenter, the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, spearheaded Penn State serve,” Pegula said when the a multi-use facility across from the the establishment of NCAA Division I University honored the couple as the 2011 Sabres’ home-ice First Niagara Center. In 1983—10 years after he graduated from ice hockey at Penn State, and began Philanthropists of the Year. The Pegulas Plans include two community ice rinks, a Penn State—Terrence Pegula borrowed developing downtown Buffalo’s hockey- also supported the construction of the 200-room hotel, and retail and restaurant $7,500 from family and friends to found oriented HarborCenter. Kerr-Pegula Sports Complex at Kim Pegula’s space. HarborCenter is expected to draw East Resources Inc., an oil and gas alma mater, Houghton College. more than 500,000 people to downtown exploration and development company. Pegula was a longtime fan of the Icers, Buffalo each year, helping to provide a He spent the next 27 years building it Penn State’s powerhouse club-sport Pegula Ice Arena opened in the fall of 2013 premiere destination for hockey fans right into one of the largest privately held hockey team. In 2010, soon after arranging as the home to varsity men’s and women’s in the heart of “Hockey Heaven.” companies in the United States. the Royal Dutch Shell deal, he and his wife, hockey teams. The building includes two Kim, donated $88 million to build a state- ice sheets and serves as the only major ice The Pegulas also own the Rochester A native of Carbondale, Pa., Pegula of-the-art ice arena and to put Penn State facility within an 80-mile radius of State Americans (the Sabres’ AHL affiliate), Five enrolled at Penn State as a math major ice hockey on the map. This single largest College. In addition to providing hockey Star Athletes Management and Black River but switched to petroleum and natural gas gift in Penn State history also endowed and figure skating opportunities for the Entertainment based in Nashville, Tenn. engineering to earn a scholarship. After 18 student-athlete scholarships, making it entire Central Pennsylvania region, it is earning his bachelor’s degree in 1973, he possible to begin the process of upgrading also used for a broad range of campus and The Pegulas are life members of the Penn went to work for Getty Oil Co. in Texas Penn State’s men’s and women’s ice hockey community activities. State Alumni Association and live in Boca and then joined Felmont Oil Co., which teams from club sports to Division I Raton, Fla. They have five children: Michael, brought him to Olean, N.Y. He launched intercollegiate teams. Terry Pegula’s interest in NHL hockey was Laura, Jessica, Kelly, and Matthew. East Resources Inc. in 1983 and began sparked during his college years, when the buying land from West Virginia to New In February of 2012 the Pegulas committed Buffalo Sabres faced the Philadelphia Flyers York State for oil and gas exploration. to an additional $14 million gift to bring in the 1975 Stanley Cup final. He bought his During the next quarter-century, he grew their total commitment to $102 million. first Sabres season tickets in 1980. the company into the powerful enterprise that attracted the attention of Royal Dutch Shell..