The Gillmore and Cole families have come together to advance K-State’s accounting research
The Gillmore and Cole families are more than just proverbial pillars of support for the College of Business Administration — they are now an actual pillar of the Herbel Family School of Accountancy.
The recently named Gillmore-Cole Families Strategic Accounting Research Center is the third pillar of the School of Accountancy’s framework for growing K-State’s already-strong reputation as a leader in accounting education and research.
The four pillars provide professional guidance, hands-on learning, innovative research and collaboration opportunities that advance both the teaching and the practice of accounting for everyone from high school students to industry leaders.
Specifically, the families’ strategically blended gifts expand the school’s student and faculty research collaboration and thought leadership. As an area that tends to receive less funding, this critical support is key to attracting and retaining top talent and advancing accounting research now and for generations to come.
“We are incredibly grateful for the generosity and support of the Cole and Gillmore families,” said Amy Hageman, director of the new research center and professor of accounting. “Funding research investment and providing faculty support is a much-needed advancement for the K-State Herbel Family School of Accountancy.”
“We hope that the collaboration and thought leadership will combine academic inquiry with practical impact,” said Charlie Cole. “Such collaborations often tackle current practical problems faced by the industry, allowing students to see the direct application of theoretical knowledge.”
Cole and his wife, Jan, both graduated from K-State in the 1970s — Charlie with his bachelor’s in accounting and MBA and Jan with a bachelor’s in elementary education. They’ve built a history of supporting research, having previously funded summer research grants for faculty.
Initiatives of the Gillmore-Cole Families Strategic Accounting Research Center include:
- Developing a graduate course on accounting research
- Establishing a conference focused on public-interest research in accounting
- Creating faculty and student fellowships for collaborative research projects
“It’s so important for the School of Accountancy to keep up with the changing times and technology. I used to fill out forms in pencil,” said Glen Gillmore ’65, a 2025 Accounting Hall of Fame inductee. “Serving on the accounting advisory council has allowed me to see how both the accounting education process and the industry itself has evolved.”
Gillmore, along with his wife, also named Jan, and sons Travis ’92 and Todd, “bleed purple” and are proud to help advance research at K-State.
Travis and his wife, Jennifer, are also helping to fund the research center. “Supporting collaborative research projects will give students hands-on learning opportunities,” said Travis.
“K-State is important to the community and has been good to our family. K-State helped us and we want others to have the same opportunities,” Glen said.
Cole added, “As with many other K-Staters, we were raised in families where the general mantra was ‘pay it forward.’ It’s merely our small way of doing our part — we wouldn’t have it any other way.”