With a $1 million gift, Jamie and Netta Hayes further strengthen their family’s ties to Saluki Athletics.
The Hayes family has been a fixture around SIU since Jamie’s father, Jim, first came to Southern in 1961 on a football scholarship.
In honor of this historic gift, SIU Director of Athletics Tim Leonard has announced the naming of the Jim Hayes Stadium Club inside Saluki Stadium. Some of the funds from this gift will be used to revitalize the space.
“For Jamie and Netta to step up in this way says a ton about them and where we are headed,” Leonard said. “They see the vision. They see the passion. They know how valuable Saluki Athletics is to SIU and all of Southern Illinois. This is massively important for us, and I want to thank them on behalf of Saluki Nation.”
One of the premier locations on campus, the Jim Hayes Stadium Club will continue to be utilized by members of the entire campus community for important events and major announcements.
“For my dad’s name to be further etched into Saluki history this way is incredible,” Jamie Hayes said. “We wanted to make a statement about how we feel about SIU and what the Salukis mean to us and this community. We wouldn’t be able to do this if it weren’t for him. I think he would be proud.”
The Hayes Legacy
After graduating from SIU with a degree in education in 1962, Jim Hayes moved to Macomb, where he taught, coached football and married his wife, Bette, in 1966. After taking up car sales as a part-time job, he found a knack for the profession and moved his family to Harrisburg in 1976, founding the Jim Hayes, Inc., car dealership.
“My dad played linebacker at SIU. He had a great nickname, ‘The Axe,'” Jaime Hayes said. “From there, it was just always following the Salukis. He had a lot of great loves. He loved his family, the business, his employees, customers, and he loved SIU.”
Raising his family and growing his business in Southern Illinois, Jim Hayes made a point to support SIU through Saluki Athletics. Jim Hayes passed away in 2018, leaving an incredible legacy at Southern. The dealership is now owned and operated by Jamie Hayes.
“I grew up going with my dad to basketball games. SIU has a history of great coaches and great teams,” he said. “The time spent with my dad was always good. I have great memories of these programs.”
Jamie Hayes graduated from SIU in 1994 with a degree in speech communication from the College of Liberal Arts. He has long supported Saluki Athletics, including partnerships and charitable giving through his business, and been a fixture at SIU events for decades.
He recently joined the Big Dawg Leadership Society, which recognizes donors who give annually to Saluki Athletics.
“The success of SIU can do nothing but help the region,” he said. “Now, more than ever, it’s time to step it up a little bit more. You’re going to need more community involvement. You have to bleed maroon no matter what.”
