The Cadman Art Gallery
About the Cadman
The Mission of the Wilson K. Cadman Art Gallery (The Cadman) is to promote understanding of visual art to the community while providing the students of Wichita State University a place to display their creative efforts and give them professional experience in organizing, curating and marketing an exhibition of their work.
Wilson K. Cadman (1927-2016) retired in 1995 from Kansas Gas & Electric (now Westar)
after working his way up from an entry level position to President, CEO and chairman
of the board. He was named Wichitan of the Year in 1985 and was described by a local
leader as "a superbly competent corporate executive." He helped to engineer the merger
with Kansas Power and Light Company that led to creating Westar Energy. After retirement
he serviced on the boards of El Paso Electric Company and Columbia Gas. A lifetime
member of Plymouth Congregational Church, he was director of the Wichita Area Chamber
of Commerce, St. Francis Hospital, SASO, Music Theater, the United Way and Fourth
National Bank. He was honored in Washington D.C. by President George H. W. Bush for
KG&E's partnership with the Red Cross in Project Development which provided millions
of dollars to help deserving families with energy costs.
Wilson attended WSU on the GI Bill, worked summers and joined the Men of Webster Fraternity (Delta Upsilon), becoming pledge class president. While at WSU he met his future wife, Roslyn Rowley and the married in 1950. Wilson graduated from WSU with a degree in Industrial Psychology.
The Cadman Family have supported Wichita State in many ways, but one of the most significant and high-profile was the contribution he and his wife, Roslyn, made to the renovation of the Rhatigan Student Center. In recognition, the Wilson K. Cadman Art Gallery in the center of the building’s main level was named in honor of Mr. Cadman. He and Roslyn also endowed generous scholarships for graduate students in business and fine arts.
The Cadman Art Gallery is managed and operated by the following staff of Student Involvement