Mount Olive, NC – The University of Mount Olive will welcome Garrett Blackwelder, founder and CEO of Grover Gaming, for a special guest presentation titled A Success Story Shaped by Family and Community on April 1 from 10 to 11:30 AM in Rodgers Chapel.
A Greenville-based technology company, Grover Gaming is nationally recognized for its innovative charitable gaming software and electronic gaming systems. Under Blackwelder’s leadership, the company has grown from a small regional startup into a major industry player operating across multiple states and employing hundreds of team members. In 2025, Grover Gaming completed a landmark $1.05 billion sale of its charitable gaming assets to Light & Wonder, marking one of the largest transactions of its kind in the sector.
Known for his emphasis on company culture, product excellence, and strategic growth, Blackwelder has built Grover Gaming into a model of high performance and innovation within a highly regulated industry. His campus visit will offer students, faculty, and guests insight into entrepreneurship, vision, and purpose-driven leadership, while highlighting the role of community in long-term success.
The event also reflects a deeply personal connection to the University. Blackwelder is the grandson of Ray Scarborough, a former Major League Baseball pitcher whose professional career spanned ten seasons. Over the course of his MLB career, Scarborough established himself as a dependable left-handed starter and postseason contributor, earning respect for his durability and consistency. His career included an All-Star selection, a World Series championship with the New York Yankees, and memorable moments against some of baseball’s most celebrated hitters.
Following his baseball career, Scarborough’s influence became firmly rooted at Mount Olive. In the early 1980s, he was the driving force behind reestablishing the baseball program at Mount Olive College, overseeing recruiting and player development, designing the baseball field, and creating an endowment to support scholarships and field maintenance. On April 19, 1980, the University dedicated Scarborough Field in his honor, cementing his lasting impact on the institution’s athletic and academic legacy.
Continuing the family’s longstanding relationship with the University, the Scarborough–Blackwelder homeplace was gifted to the University in fall 2018. The historic property now serves as an executive home for University leadership, symbolizing a multigenerational commitment to Mount Olive and its mission.
This upcoming event, hosted by the Tillman School of Business, is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Kathy T. Best at kbest@umo.edu.
