Alfred McKethan

Hernando County banker and University of Florida alumnus Alfred McKethan established this endowed chair in 1979 as a memorial to Walter J. Matherly, the first dean of UF’s business college. McKethan said Matherly was “my dear and close friend whose advice and assistance has played an important part in my life.”

As retired chairman of what is now SunTrust Bank/Nature Coast, McKethan had strong political influence in Florida and at one time was considered among the state’s 10 most powerful people. He was honored in 1994 by Gov. Lawton Chiles and the Cabinet for a life of service to the state. As chairman of the State Road Board from 1949 to 1954, he pushed through the original Sunshine Skyway project to create Tampa Bay’s premier bridge.

McKethan was a member of the Florida Citrus Commission and founder of the Florida Citrus Mutual, the giant grower cooperative established in 1954. He also was the first chairman of the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, which was created in 1962 to deal with flooding in 15 counties. McKethan passed away in 2002 at age 93.