By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
As construction wraps up for the $5.75 million renovation of the Slater Family Ice Arena, one of the new spaces has been named for long-time supporters of Bowling Green State University, its ice arena and hockey program.
At the Sept. 27 BGSU Board of Trustees meeting, the brand-new mezzanine in the ice arena was named the Green-Remeis-Green Mezzanine for local residents and Realtors Al and Mary Green, Mark and Michelle Remeis, and Steve and Misty Green.
“We love the university. We love the community, and most importantly, we love the people,” said Steve Green at the trustees’ meeting. “We’ve been here our whole lives. The leadership that we see in this community and for the university, it’s phenomenal.”
He praised the current culture and positive environment that “is contagious,” making “people like us want to do things like this. We are excited to be a part of this.”
Al and Mary Green, who own A.A. Green Realty Inc. and Allen A. Green Builder & Developer Inc., have supported numerous initiatives across campus, from book and academic scholarships to programs and initiatives in athletics, musical arts, business and public television.
Over the years, they have established the Mecca Management/AA Green Realty Scholarship, A.A. Green Family Education Scholarship, A.A. Green Family Business Scholarship., and A.A. Green Family Alumni Laureate Book Scholarship.
Additionally, their philanthropic gifts have supported BGSU hockey, football, men’s basketball, baseball, Falcon Club, Excellence Fund for BGSU, Schmidthorst Business College Student Ambassadors, Paul J. Hooker Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, College of Musical Arts and WBGU-PBS.
Al also served on the BGSU Foundation Board for six years and was inducted into the Entrepreneurial Leadership Hall of Fame in 2020.
Mark ’91 and Michelle (Green) ’92 Remeis both earned degrees from BGSU, where they met and became Falcon Flames. Mark’s degree is in economics and Michelle’s is in fashion merchandising.
Mark is a partner and broker for A.A. Green Realty, and serves as president of the Northwest Ohio Realtors, chair of the NORIS Board of Directors. And on the BG Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He created and taught the original Real Estate Investment course for the business college’s Entrepreneurship Program.
Michelle is co-owner of Mecca Management Inc. with her brother Steve Green. She is also a partner in GREM Family Investors and multiple other real estate investments. She was on the BGSU Alumni Board for four years and is currently on the Wood County Hospital Board of Directors.
Together, Mark and Michelle have supported the Champions Circle for five years, as well as ice hockey, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s golf, football, women’s basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball and the Stroh Center.
Steven A. Green graduated from BGSU in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in communication. He is a broker with A.A. Green Realty Inc., a developer, real estate consultant and co-owner of Mecca Management Inc. He has held multiple board officer roles for the Northwest Ohio Apartment Association and is currently serving as the Bowling Green liaison for the Northwest Ohio Apartment Association.
He served on the BGSU College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Circle and the “Bring Back the Glory” campaign committee to support the Slater Family Ice Arena and hockey program.
His wife, Michelle “Misty” Green earned MBA and Juris Doctorate degrees and has a practice in Bowling Green focused on real estate, landlord-tenant relations, development and land use.
Steven and Misty’s gifts to BGSU have supported ice hockey, football, volleyball, women’s basketball, Falcon Club scholarships,
The University has received a generous gift from Al and Mary Green, Mark and Michelle Remeis, and Steve and Misty Green in support of the Slater Family Ice Arena. In recognition of this gift, it is fitting to name the Green, Remeis and Green Mezzanine.
Transformative gift to the arts
The board of trustees also accepted a transformative $5 million gift from an anonymous donor for student experience and education in the BGSU School of Art.
The gift, the largest in BGSU history to benefit the arts, establishes the RING Center for Experiential Learning in Art and Design.
Students in studio, digital arts, graphic design, art education and art history will benefit from the gift that provides opportunities to refine their talents, gain new skills and make professional connections.