The T. Eugene Spragens, III, President’s Award was established and funded in April 1999 by Gene Spragens, past president of the School.  The award memorializes Gene’s son who was tragically killed in an automobile accident on the way to his first job at a bank, but it also honors the school’s most valuable resource: our faculty. It is awarded annually at the Board of Trustee’s meeting each fall.

The selection criteria for the award are simple: (1) Teaching performance as measured by student and administrative evaluations, and (2) involvement in promoting and supporting GSBLSU and its educational mission. Tonight is my honor to introduce our 2025 recipient.

David Coyle earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky before embarking on a distinguished career in banking and bank supervision that has spanned more than three decades. A 1997 graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at LSU, David has been shaping future bankers as a BankSim instructor since 1998.

 

David retired as a Director with the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions, where he oversaw the supervision of state-chartered banks and financial service providers across the Commonwealth. During his tenure, he was recognized for his steady leadership and commitment to ensuring the soundness and integrity of Kentucky’s financial institutions. Today, he continues to serve the industry as a Senior Consultant with Bankers Service Corporation in Lexington, Kentucky, where he advises banks on regulatory compliance, governance, and strategic operations.

A member of the GSBLSU “50/75 Club,” David has brought his regulatory experience and industry insight to Baton Rouge each summer to mentor BankSim participants for the school’s golden and diamond anniversaries. His humor, accessibility, and deep understanding of banking operations have made him one of our most respected and beloved instructors. Student feedback consistently highlights his gift for transforming a complex and fast-paced simulation into an engaging and enlightening learning experience:

“What an experience.  This project started off completely overwhelming, but after the initial quarters, things started to ease a bit.  Both Mr. David and Mr. Coyle were attentive and humorous – and did what they were supposed to do: challenge the group to figure it out.  Although stressful at times, I got a lot out of it.”

“Bank Sim has been an enjoyable experience, especially when you have Stephen and David at the helm.  Their personalities and love of the industry really make a difference in this course.  They were incredibly engaging and kept the entire session lively with their humor, making concepts much easier to grasp.  Their genuine enthusiasm and desire for us to succeed created a supportive and motivating environment.  I really appreciated their approachable teaching style and the way they encouraged us to think critically and actively participate.  Overall, they made the learning experience both enjoyable and insightful.  I would love to be able to sit and chat with them outside of class to gain more insight and hear some stories.”

“The sim was really a great experience to have, the Angie and David made a great work teaching while challenging us to make the best decision, they didn’t just let us make the best or worse decisions, but invested their time to explain us what possibly went wrong in the scenario, taught us to look beyond our designated roles and view the bank as a unit, to have a overall view of how one decision can impact in other areas of the bank.”

David’s long-standing service to GSBLSU represents the very essence of this award: exceptional teaching performance combined with steadfast dedication to the School’s mission. Through his work, he has inspired countless bankers to think critically, lead ethically, and view the banking industry as an interconnected system requiring both precision and integrity.

It is with great pleasure that we recognize David Coyle with the 2025 T. Eugene Spragens, III President’s Award. We are honored to have him on our faculty and grateful for his enduring contributions to our School.