The Record Online

Spring/Summer 2001

Dietzman Center Dedication and Bookstore Grand Opening Draw Large Crowds

It was a weekend of dedication ceremonies and grand openings March 9-10, as dignitaries ranging from pastor/author Jim Cymbala to Bob and Larry of VeggieTales attracted hundreds of people of all ages to the new Dietzman Center on the campus of Greenville College.

Family Christian Bookstore celebrated its official grand opening over the weekend, as did Jo’s Java, the coffee shop that shares the first floor of the Dietzman Center with the bookstore. The second floor is the new home of the Communication Department classrooms and offices, as well as WGRN, the college radio station.

Family Christian Stores had three grand openings that same weekend, two in Orlando, Florida, and the one in Greenville. According to manager Darlene Malloy, the Greenville store did better than both of the Orlando stores in total sales, and almost as much as the two of them combined. Malloy estimates that more than 3,000 people visited the Greenville store that Friday and Saturday.

A ribbon cutting ceremony in front of the Dietzman Center included the building’s namesakes, Les and Estelle Dietzman. Les is president and CEO of Family Christian Stores, the nation’s largest Christian retailer, and both Dietzmans are 1964 graduates of Greenville College.

The second floor of the Dietzman Center was also a buzz of activity Saturday, as the new facilities of WGRN were dedicated and named.

The entire WGRN facilities were named the Cordon R.
Kerns Radio Studios in honor of the class of 1954
student who built the first radio transmitter and modulator in 1952 using Army surplus equipment. His family made a significant gift to the college in his honor.
Other special gifts were received to establish and name WGRN facilities, including the Tidball Family Interview Studio (by Craig W. and Sue Tidball), the James A. Reinhard Managers’ Office (by the Reinhard family), and the Cordon R. Kerns Engineer’s Room (by his children).

Jim Reinhard was the class of 1954 student who served as WGRN’s first station manager. He taught for more than 40 years in the Religion Department at Greenville College, retiring in 1994.

Watson Tidball was one of the first WGRN announcers in 1952 with his “Tidbits by Tidball” program. His son Craig W. Tidball today serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees of Greenville College.

The special activities began Friday morning as noted Christian author and speaker Jim Cymbala addressed students, faculty, and guests in a nearly full H. J. Long Gymnasium. Rev. Cymbala pastors the Brooklyn Tabernacle congregation in New York. A book signing was held later that afternoon, with Rev. Cymbala autographing copies of his new book Fresh Power inside Family Christian Bookstore.

Saturday’s activities at the bookstore were highlighted by a series of personal appearances by Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber from the popular children’s video series VeggieTales.

Related Links:
Dietzman Center Dedication Memories
Dietzman Center Building Photos

Last updated: July 17, 2001