Award-winning teacher. Inspiring example. A bright light for Clemson.

Margaret Segars Bond of Highlands, N.C., has been described as a bright light for Clemson who embodies all things service.

The Sumter, S.C., native earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Clemson as a member of the class of 1984. She went on to teach for 15 years at schools in Georgia and South Carolina, including at Wilson Hall in Sumter, which she attended as a student and where she was named teacher of the year.

After she retired, she and her late husband, Steve, established the Margaret and Steve Bond Award for Teacher Achievement. It is presented annually to an outstanding Wilson Hall elementary teacher. Recipients receive a travel stipend for a destination of their choice, which creates an educational experience to be shared in the classroom with their students.

The Bonds became major advocates for the Clemson golf program. Steve was a 1980 graduate and a letterwinner on the men’s golf team. With Margaret’s encouragement, he, along with others, established the Golf Paws program, which encourages financial support for the golf teams. For the past eight years, Margaret has continued to chair the program and support men’s and women’s golf.

In appreciation for their gifts to the program, the Steve and Margaret Bond Golf Practice Facility is named in their honor.

The couple also created the Bond Distinguished Athletes Award, which recognizes Clemson alumni athletes who demonstrate exemplary character, citizenship, and service to their alma mater, community and family. Margaret presents the award each year during Clemson’s homecoming football game.

Margaret was active in the Sumter Junior Welfare League and chaired numerous projects benefitting the Sumter community and Sumter County. She was president of her Sunday school class at Trinity United Methodist Church in Sumter and later was an active member of Belin United Methodist Church in Murrell’s Inlet. As an elementary teacher, Maragaret was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, a teacher sorority for women educators. As a Clemson student, she was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority and a little sister of Kappa Alpha fraternity.

In addition to her support for Clemson’s golf program, she is a supporter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, contributes to coach Dabo and Kathleen Swinney’s All In Foundation, and has served as an ambassador for Dabo’s All Access Training Camp for more than five years. She is also a mentor of the football program’s P.A.W. Journey personal leadership development initiative.

Margaret is a member of the University’s Board of Visitors and is a major donor to academics as a member of the President’s Leadership Circle. Her generosity has benefitted the ClemsonLIFE program, the Grace Clements Scholarship Endowment and the Samuel J. Cadden Chapel.

Margaret’s father, Ray Segars Jr., was a 1949 Clemson graduate. She attributes her love for Clemson to him. The Clemson connection has continued throughout her family with many graduates and current students.

Respected industry leader. Encouraging friend. Dedicated Clemson volunteer.

Michael Coakley of Arlington, Va., has a record of service and success that stretches from the banks of the Potomac River to the shores of Lake Hartwell.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in management from Clemson in 1991, Michael joined the C.J. Coakley Company Inc. and then rose through the ranks to become its co-president. Today, the family-owned business that started in 1962 is a full-service interior contractor and one of the largest drywall companies in the Washington, D.C., metro area.

As co-president, Michael manages major construction projects that include many at iconic national landmarks such as the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. The company received a special commendation from the Department of Defense for work on rebuilding the part of the Pentagon that was damaged on 9/11.

Michael’s numerous professional recognitions include being the youngest recipient of the DeGelleke Award, the highest honor presented by the Ceilings and Interior Systems Construction Association (CISCA). Also,under his leadership, his company has been named Subcontractor of the Year three times by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). He has held multiple leadership roles in both CISCA and ABC.

He also created and manages the Emerging Leaders Program, which recruits and mentors future business leaders. The initiative has produced 25 graduates since he founded it in 2018 and currently has 45 participants in various stages of the program.

In his community, Michael is a major donor to The Langley School, for children from preschool through 8th grade, and is active in fundraising for CureSearch, an organization dedicated to research to end childhood cancer. His decades of support for Catholic Charities in the D.C. area have included, along with financial gifts, renovating and building churches and homes for parishioners in need.

Among his many volunteer roles for Clemson, Michael is a longtime leader of the Baltimore/Washington, DC Clemson Club, which also serves northern Virginia. He was the club’s co-president for 11 years (2000-2011) and has co-chaired its regional board of directors since 2012. He has served the Clemson Alumni Association on its alumni council and board of directors.

He is a member of the Clemson Legacy Society, which honors donors who have included Clemson in their estate plans, and the 1889 Vision Society, which honors donors for significant cumulative giving. He has made annual gifts for academics since he graduated and was an inaugural member of the President’s Leadership Circle.

Michael and his wife, Beth, have a son, Neil, who graduated from Clemson in December 2023, and two daughters, Lauren and Evelyn.

Caring physician. Compassionate volunteer. Devoted alumnus.

Dr. Sam Stone of Chester has been on call for Clemson for more than four decades – in multiple ways.

He has volunteered to be the first aid physician on duty at almost every home football game for 43 years. Also, he is a former president of the Clemson Alumni Physicians Society and a founding member of Tigers on Call, an alumni engagement program for students pursuing health-related careers.

Sam earned a bachelor’s degree in pre-medicine from Clemson in 1976 and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1980. He was chief resident at Anderson Memorial Hospital in Anderson for three years before returning to Chester, where he has practiced family medicine for more than 40 years.

He has been active in professional medical organizations for more than 35 years, including the American Medical Association, the South Carolina Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the South Carolina Academy of Family Physicians. He is a former president of the SCAFP and was its Family Physician of the Year in 2002-2003 and its Student Educator of the Year in 2019. His numerous other awards and recognitions include being named Champion of Rural Medicine in 2023 and Preceptor of the Year for Excellence in Student Clinical Education twice by VCOM-Carolinas, the Spartanburg-based campus of the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine.

He opened his current practice at MUSC Health – Lowrys Primary Care in 1989. He has served as chief of staff of the Chester Regional Medical Center and as medical director of the Chester County Nursing Center.

He co-founded the Good Samaritan Free Clinic, which provides medical care to people in need regardless of their ability to pay. He also serves as team physician for Chester County school athletics programs and has performed free athletic physicals at the county’s three high schools for more than 30 years.

His many community activities include being a former member of the Chester Rotary Club and Jaycees, holding several positions at the Chester ARP Church, and sponsoring Little League baseball, basketball, soccer and cheerleading teams. He has received the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award, presented by the Chester County Chamber of Commerce; the Springs Close Foundation’s Fabric of the Community Award, which included a financial grant that he directed to multiple local charities; and Hospice Care of South Carolina’s Medical Director of the Year Award, which he has received twice.

For Clemson, Sam mentors students interested in becoming physicians and offers opportunities for them to shadow him at this practice in Chester. He and his wife, Beverly, provide university-wide scholarship support through the Dr. Sam and Beverly Stone Family Scholarship Endowment. They also created the Banks McFadden Scholarship, named for the legendary Clemson student athlete from Great Falls in Chester County and awarded annually to a Great Falls High School graduating senior headed to Clemson. Sam has been the Chester County chair for IPTAY since the early 1990s.

The Stones have two sons: Marc, a 2001 graduate of Winthrop University, his mother’s alma mater; and Pete, who like his father is a Clemson graduate, class of 2003. Marc and his wife, Pam, have a daughter, Olivia. Peter and his wife, Katherine have a son, Henry, and a daughter, Annie Gray.

Stuart C. McWhorter ’91 Receives the 2023 Distinguished Service Award

Entrepreneur. Public servant. Engaged and ardent Clemson advocate.

Stuart McWhorter of Brentwood, Tennessee, earned his Clemson stripes both in and out of the classroom. On the way to earning his Bachelor of Science in Management degree in 1991, he spent three years as the Tiger mascot, demonstrating as a student the laser-focused commitment to Clemson academic and athletic excellence that continues to be the hallmark of his leadership and service for Clemson as an alumnus.

Professionally, Stuart has a diverse background in entrepreneurship, corporate finance and strategic planning. He co-founded the venture firm Clayton Associates in 1996 and, ultimately, FCA Venture Partners, focused on healthcare and technology. He has more than 25 years of experience in entrepreneurship and early-stage investing.

He moved into the public service sector in 2019, when he was appointed by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee as commissioner of the Department of Finance and Administration. Stuart led the drafting of two fiscal year state budgets, co-chaired the Governor’s Healthcare Modernization Task Force and was appointed director of the Tennessee Unified Command Group to coordinate the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic before returning to the private sector in 2020. He also served as the CEO of Nashville’s Entrepreneur Center, an innovation hub for entrepreneurs to create, launch and grow businesses.

Governor Lee recruited Stuart back into public service in June of 2022 to become commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development. The department is responsible for recruiting new businesses and industries to the state, supporting existing companies, expanding economic opportunities across rural Tennessee and boosting the state’s overall economic prosperity.

Stuart has been involved with a multitude of organizations, causes and communities around the globe, including Belmont University, the Tennessee Business Roundtable, Blood Water Mission, the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, the Nashville Alliance for Public Education, the Tennessee Golf Foundation, the Hospital Hospitality House, St. Luke’s Community Center, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Nashville’s Agenda, the Christ Presbyterian Academy Campaign and the Nashville Cityfest Initiative.

He was chairman of Nashville’s FirstBank Financial Corporation, overseeing $11 billion in assets, and is the lead investor and partner of D17 Holdings, parent of Outsider Media Network, ON3 Media and Spiny.ai of Nashville, Tennessee, and London, England.

He earned a master’s degree in health administration from the University of Alabama-Birmingham and has served as an adjunct professor at Belmont University, teaching healthcare, finance and entrepreneurship.

For Clemson, Stuart has served as Executive-in-Residence for the University’s entrepreneurship and economic engagement initiatives. He is a member of the President’s Advisory Board, and an advisor to President Jim Clements and Provost Bob Jones on issues related to entrepreneurship and economic development. He is a former member of the Clemson University Foundation’s board of directors and served on the cabinets for The Will to Lead and Tiger Pride fundraising campaigns.

Stuart and his family have invested generously in Clemson’s academic and athletic programs, including a gift to honor former Tiger mascots resulting in the bronze Tiger statue at Gate 1 of Memorial Stadium. He was a founding investor for the Entrepreneurial Leadership Enhancement Fund.

Stuart and his wife, Leigh Anne, are members of the Clemson Cumulative Giving Society and founding partners of the President’s Leadership Circle. Most recently, their generosity created the Angelyn “Angel” Sauls Westcott Memorial Scholarship Endowment to provide nursing scholarships in memory of Stuart’s mother. They also invested in the McWhorter Softball Stadium, becoming the 18th founding member of the Athletic Cornerstone Partner program.

Stuart and Leigh Anne have two sons, Clayton and Thomas, who are Clemson students, and three daughters: Caroline, Marleigh and Layla.

Click here to nominate a Tiger for the 2024 Distinguished Service Award.

Brad Smith ’82, ’83, ‘85 Receives the 2023 Distinguished Service Award

Accomplished design professional. Dedicated civic volunteer. Inspiring mentor and alumnus.

Brad Smith, a Spartanburg native and Greenville resident, is a three-time Clemson graduate whose impact on his alma mater can be seen, literally, all over campus – and beyond. With bachelor’s degrees in design (1982), building science and management (1983) and architecture (1985), he has become one of the most prominent architects in South Carolina.

As principal-in-charge of Clemson projects ranging from the Lee Hall restoration, renovation and addition to new buildings such as the Larry B. Penley Jr. Golf Facility, he has helped to imagine and design highly acclaimed environments that inspire Clemson students, faculty and staff to excel.

Brad, a member of the American Institute of Architects, is a founding principal of McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, which has eight offices in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. His role includes staff development, firm culture building and internal communications. A registered architect in 38 states, he has a diverse background of experience in higher education, healthcare, commercial, civic and community projects.

He has overseen new facilities or renovations for AnMed Health, the Prisma Health System, the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina School of Medicine at Greenville. He was principal-in-charge for Aiken County’s new government office complex; the planning and design for multiple YMCA facilities; conference room additions and master planning for the Columbia Convention Center; and hundreds of other community, church, public and private projects.

As a Fellow in the Riley Institute’s Diversity Leadership Initiative, he helped lead a program that partnered with local organizations to deliver financial literacy for children in grades 4–6. His leadership and advocacy for United Way of Greenville County initiatives led to McMillan Pazdan Smith being named 2021’s “Rising Star Engagement” recipient, with 100-percent firm wide participation in food drives, school tools, virtual seminars and community improvement projects. Other organizations benefiting from his service include the Hospice House of Greenville, the Cancer Society of Greenville County, the Poinsett Club and the Caine Halter Family Branch of the YMCA.

He is past chairman and a former Board member of South Carolina’s State Board of Architectural Examiners and is past Chairman of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ Professional Conduct Committee. He also serves on the Greenville Construction and Maintenance Board of Adjustments and Appeals.

For Clemson, Brad is a current member and past president of the Clemson Architectural Foundation and a past member of the Clemson Alumni Association’s board of directors. He was instrumental in establishing an endowment for the School of Architecture that provides scholarships, named in honor of Professor Emeritus John Jacques, and supports diversity initiatives. He and his firm also provide a fellowship and assistance for students who want to pursue research and scholarship related to the intersection of human health, healthcare and architecture while working for the firm over the summer.

He is a member of the Greenville Clemson Luncheon Club and regularly represents McMillan Pazdan Smith in Clemson career fairs. In 2013, he participated in events marking the 40th anniversary of Clemson’s Charles E. Daniel Center for Building Research and Urban Studies in Genoa, Italy. He is returning to Genoa again this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary.

Brad and his wife, Lyle, have two children: daughter Caroline and son Brad Jr., who is a 2020 Clemson graduate.

Click here to nominate a Tiger for the 2024 Distinguished Service Award.

Retired Construction Industry Executive to Receive Clemson Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award

Retired corporate executive Robert B. “Bob” Hambright of Blowing Rock, N.C., will receive the Clemson Alumni Association’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award.

Hambright is former president of J.A. Jones Construction, one of the nation’s largest construction companies during his 25 years of employment there. He then started the Southeast Division for Balfour Beatty where he was president and chief executive officer before retiring in 2010. During this time, the company was an industry-leading provider of general contracting, at-risk construction management, design-build and privatized military housing services for public and private sector clients across the country.

Born in Spartanburg, Hambright grew up in Grover, N.C. He graduated from Clemson University in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Winthrop University in 1974.

He has been a volunteer leader for many organizations, ranging from the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and the Charlotte Discovery Place Children’s Museum to the Crossnore School and Children’s Home, which assists children and families in crisis.

For Clemson, Hambright serves on the Clemson University Foundation’s board of directors and was its 2018-2020 chair. He was the lead volunteer driver of a university-wide initiative to improve donor stewardship at all levels of the institution and led the foundation’s recent restructuring to streamline its operations and enhance its support for Clemson fundraising activities, including the establishment of the Order of the Oak fundraising council on which he serves.

He also was instrumental in launching an effort within the foundation board to raise funds for the “Clemson University Foundation Tomorrow Begins Today Scholarship Quasi-Endowment” to generate more unrestricted scholarships, one of the university’s top priorities.

Hambright and his wife, Susan, are among Clemson’s most generous benefactors. Within the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, they have created the Hambright Scholars Program, the Robert B. (’70) and Susan B. Hambright Annual Leadership Program in Engineering and The Hambright Distinguished Professorship in Engineering Leadership. They are also major donors to the athletics program, including significant support for basketball facilities and the PAW Journey program.

The Hambrights have three children: Son Mathew B. Hambright is a 2006 Clemson graduate; son Benjamin T. Hambright is an Elon University graduate; and daughter Steffan H. Hambright Kelly is a graduate of Salem College.

 

The Clemson Alumni Distinguished Service Award is based on three main criteria: personal and professional accomplishments; dedication and service to Clemson University; and devotion to community and public service. Members of the Clemson family nominate potential honorees, who are then selected by the Clemson Alumni Association as outstanding alumni, public servants and examples to others. The 2021 award presentation will occur during the fall.

The Clemson Alumni Association is an open-membership, nonprofit organization that exists to connect alumni with their alma mater. Through a variety of programs and services, the Alumni Association works with alumni around the world to ensure they have a Clemson Experience every day.

 

Retired Lowcountry Insurance Agency Owner to Receive Clemson Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award

Phil Bradley, retired owner of the Allstate Insurance Agency on Folly Road, Charleston, will receive the Clemson Alumni Association’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award.

Bradley graduated from Clemson University in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management. After three years of military service, he returned to his native Charleston and began a five-decade career in the insurance business. He retired in 2018 and lives on Johns Island with his wife, Mary, who was named an Honorary Alumna of Clemson in 2015.

Among his many volunteer leadership roles for Clemson, Bradley has chaired the University’s Board of Visitors and served on the Clemson University Foundation’s board of directors. Currently, he serves as an ambassador for the Order of the Oak, an organization created to provide wisdom, guidance and momentum to the University Foundation as it assists the University in enhancing its ability to accomplish its land-grant mission in the 21st century and meet the changes and challenges of the future. He is a member of the Charleston County Clemson Club and served two terms as Chair of Clemson in the Lowcountry.

His service in the Charleston community includes leadership roles for Grace Episcopal Church and Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy. He is active in the North Charleston Rotary Club and a member of Community Pride of Charleston County.

The Bradleys are among Clemson’s most generous donors. They were the first major benefactors of the Creative Inquiry program, which began in 2005 to provide research experiences for undergraduate students. They have contributed significantly to numerous other academic initiatives, including ClemsonLIFE, the Watt Family Innovation Center, the Early Childhood Education Center and annual awards for excellence in teaching and mentoring.

The Bradleys are also major donors to Clemson athletic programs. They are longtime members of IPTAY and supported the development of the facilities at the West End Zone of the football stadium, where the patron’s locker rooms are named in their honor.

The Bradleys have two children:  Their daughter, Dr. Renee Bradley, lives in Manassas, Va., and their son, Philip, who is a 1992 Clemson graduate, lives in Charleston.

 

The Clemson Alumni Distinguished Service Award is based on three main criteria: personal and professional accomplishments; dedication and service to Clemson University; and devotion to community and public service. Members of the Clemson family nominate potential honorees, who are then selected by the Clemson Alumni Association as outstanding alumni, public servants and examples to others. The 2021 award presentation will occur during the fall.

The Clemson Alumni Association is an open-membership, nonprofit organization that exists to connect alumni with their alma mater. Through a variety of programs and services, the Alumni Association works with alumni around the world to ensure they have a Clemson Experience every day.

 

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ExxonMobil Vice President to Receive Clemson Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award

ExxonMobil executive Raymond E. Jones of The Woodlands, Texas, will receive the Clemson Alumni Association’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award.

Jones, vice president of surface engineering for ExxonMobil’s Upstream business grew up in Spartanburg. He graduated from Clemson University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Houston in 1994.

He has held numerous leadership roles within ExxonMobil around the world, including as Asia Pacific regional vice president for the ExxonMobil Production Company and as executive director of projects for ExxonMobil affiliates in Nigeria. In his current post he is responsible for the development and deployment of engineers to support ExxonMobil’s global business.

Jones focuses much of his time and effort on improving opportunities for underrepresented employees in the oil and gas industry. He serves on several inclusion and equity councils within ExxonMobil and is a member of the Executive Leadership Council, a network that opens channels of opportunity for the development of black executives to positively impact business and communities.

In 2020, he received the Society of Women Engineers’ Rodney D. Chipp Memorial Award, which recognizes an individual or company instrumental in the advancement of women in engineering fields.

For Clemson, Jones serves on the Clemson University Foundation’s board of directors and chairs its finance committee. He also is the ExxonMobil Executive Clemson Contact and chairs the Clemson Alumni Group for his Texas campus.

As a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board for Clemson’s College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences (CECAS), he works to enhance programs to educate, recruit and retain women and other underrepresented populations in STEM fields through mentoring, academic coaching, counseling and academic enrichment. In 2011, he and his wife, Carla, established the Raymond Jones Family Scholarship Endowment to provide financial assistance to underrepresented students in CECAS.

In Houston, the Joneses are engaged in multiple community service activities, ranging from the United Way and National Charity League to the Texas Children’s Hospital. They have three children: daughters, Kara, a junior at Texas Christian University, and Chloe, a high school senior, and a son, Zach, a freshman at Sam Houston State University.

 

The Clemson Alumni Distinguished Service Award is based on three main criteria: personal and professional accomplishments; dedication and service to Clemson University; and devotion to community and public service. Members of the Clemson family nominate potential honorees, who are then selected by the Clemson Alumni Association as outstanding alumni, public servants and examples to others. The 2021 award presentation will occur during the fall.

The Clemson Alumni Association is an open-membership, nonprofit organization that exists to connect alumni with their alma mater. Through a variety of programs and services, the Alumni Association works with alumni around the world to ensure they have a Clemson Experience every day.

Executive director of the Arts and Heritage Center of North Augusta presented with Clemson’s Distinguished Service Award

The executive director of the Arts and Heritage Center of North Augusta, Mary Anne Bigger, is being honored by the Clemson Alumni Association with the Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor the association bestows upon former Clemson Tigers.

Born in Lancaster, S.C., Bigger graduated from Clemson University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. She began her professional career at Bank of America working in item processing and treasury management and was later promoted to vice president supporting corporate sales associates. Following her banking career, Bigger became the executive director of North Augusta Forward, a non-profit organization focused on the enrichment of the quality of life in North Augusta, S.C.

Recently, Bigger began a new role as the executive director of the Arts and Heritage Center of North Augusta, a non-profit educational center which provides self-guided tours and hands-on exhibits exposing visitors to the arts and history of the region.

During her time at Clemson, she was active with Central Spirit and the IPTAY Student Advisory Board, serving as president her senior year. After graduation, she became an integral volunteer focusing her attention on enhancing the opportunities available to future students of Clemson, especially females, through her role in helping to launch what is now Clemson Women’s Alumni Council’s signature event, “Bring Your Daughter to Clemson.”

She has served on the Clemson Alumni Association Board of Directors, Clemson’s Parents Advisory Board, the Clemson University Foundation Board, as president of Clemson’s Women’s Alumni Council and as president of the Charlotte Clemson Club. Bigger was also the first, and to this point only female, to serve as president of the IPTAY Board of Directors. During her tenure on the IPTAY board, she has been a mentor to others who have joined the board and has been a key leader in the organization helping to grow and identify new membership, especially among females.

She actively participates in supporting the Aiken and Augusta Clemson Clubs and for all of her volunteer efforts, Bigger has been recognized with the Clemson University Young Alumnus of Merit award, the Clemson University Alumni Association Volunteer of the Year award, and the Super Tiger award presented by the Aiken County Clemson Club.

Bigger is also an active volunteer in her community, serving on the North Augusta Nancy Carson Library Board as a member and president and on the North Augusta High School Improvement Council. She is also a graduate of Leadership North Augusta. Currently, she is an active member of Grace United Methodist Church and The New Life Sunday School Class. She is a past member of the GIFTS group, an organization associated with the church which knits blankets and children’s hats that are sent to villagers served by the church’s mission team in Bolivia and to the children at the Methodist Orphanage in Columbia, S.C. She has also served on the Missions committee and nominating committee.

The prestigious Clemson Alumni Distinguished Service Award is based on three main criteria: personal and professional accomplishments; dedication and service to Clemson University; and devotion to community and public service. Members of the Clemson family nominate potential winners, who are then selected by the Clemson Alumni Association as outstanding alumni, public servants and examples to others.

Bigger and her husband, Bob, have two daughters, Bronwyn (’18), who is engaged to Eric White (’18), and Sarah, a current Clemson student studying Language and International Health. She currently resides in North Augusta, S.C.

END

The Clemson Alumni Association, an open-membership, nonprofit organization since its inception in 1896, connects members of the more than 161,000-strong Clemson Family, inspiring pride, celebrating achievement, providing service and strengthening relationships with Clemson University and with each other. For more information, visit Clemson.edu/alumni.

 

 

Retired York County attorney presented with Clemson’s Distinguished Service Award

Retired Attorney, James Henry “Hank” Owen, Jr, is being honored by the Clemson Alumni Association with the Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor that the association bestows upon former Clemson Tigers.

Hank graduated from Clemson University in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. After graduation, he continued his education at the University of South Carolina, receiving his Juris Doctor in 1976.

Hank began practicing law with Al Haselden and established the firm of Haselden & Owen. In 2016, Hank retired from the active practice of law as a partner in the firm of Haselden, Owen & Boloyan.  He served a term as president of the York County Bar Association and as president of the York County Public Defender Corporation. During his tenure with his firm, Hank was active in several civic organizations and served a term as appointed legal counsel for both the US Jaycees and the SC Jaycees. He also served as the attorney for the Clover School District for more than 35 years.

An Eagle Scout, Hank is extremely dedicated to his community having served as past chairman and board member of the York Commission for Technical Education, member and officer of the Clover Jaycees and past president and member of the Clover Rotary Club, the Clover United Way and the Clover Chamber of Commerce. For his dedication to his community, Hank was recognized as Citizen of the Year by the Clover Chamber of Commerce, is a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Club International and was recognized as one of the Three Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) in South Carolina by SC Jaycees.  Hank is also an active member of First United Methodist Church of Clover, where he has served in a number of leadership positions.

During his time at Clemson, Hank was a member of the Clemson University Tiger Band, serving as Sergeant Major, and was a member of the university concert band. He was a member and president of Mu Beta Psi music fraternity and National Vice President of Mu Beta Psi. He was also a member of Sigma Tau Epsilon honorary fraternity.

Since his graduation, Hank has shown his dedication to Clemson through various volunteer roles and financial contributions. He served as the chair to the university Board of Visitors from 2017 – 2018 and continues to reside on the board today. He volunteered on the Will to Lead Capital Campaign subcommittee, the Clemson Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Clemson University Foundation Board, and continues to serve on the Clemson University Tiger Band Association Board. He is also a current member of the York County Clemson Club and Ft. Hill Clemson Club.

In support of Clemson, Hank is a Leadership Circle Donor, a member of the Anna Calhoun Clemson Cumulative Giving Society and the Richard Simpson Cumulative Giving Society. He has been an IPTAY supporter and representative for more than 35 years. His capital gift contributions have impacted the university greatly providing resources to the Tiger Band Plaza, WestZone project, the Larry Penley Golf Facility, Doug Kingsmore stadium and the Duckworth Family Tennis Center. Hank and his wife recently endowed the Hank “73” and Kay “73” Spring Sounds endowment.

The prestigious Clemson Alumni Distinguished Service Award is based on three main criteria: personal and professional accomplishments; dedication and service to Clemson University; and devotion to community and public service. Members of the Clemson family nominate potential winners, who are then selected by the Clemson Alumni Association as outstanding alumni, public servants and examples to others.

Hank and his wife, Kay, have two children, Kathryn Owen Sasser ’99, married to Trey ’98, and James Henry Owen III ’02, who is married to Elizabeth. They have three granddaughters, Mary Alice, Annabel and Lettie. Hank currently resides in Clover, South Carolina.

END

The Clemson Alumni Association, an open-membership, nonprofit organization since its inception in 1896, connects members of the more than 161,000-strong Clemson Family, inspiring pride, celebrating achievement, providing service and strengthening relationships with Clemson University and with each other.  For more information, visit Clemson.edu/alumni.

 

Lori Anne Carr graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education in 1990 and with a Masters of Education in administration and supervision in 1992.

In 1999 Carr joined her husband, Chalmers, in launching Titan Farms, the largest peach

grower on the east coast, with over 6,200 acres of peaches in production. Throughout her career, Carr has remained connected to her “other home,” Clemson University. She has volunteered on the Clemson University Board of Visitors and the Clemson University Foundation Board, serving as a member of the Development, Finance, Nominations and Policy & Constitution committees.

Carr is the vice president and administrative manager of Titan Farms and the owner and president of Palmetto Processing Solutions. She dedicates her time to speaking to classes at Clemson and hosting farm tours for students, faculty, staff and administrators. Her passion for agriculture lead her to chair the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences’ Will to Lead Campaign Board, to develop the Chalmers Carr III ’90 and Lori Anne Carr ‘90 Creative Inquiry Endowment and to serve as the voice for Clemson at the South Carolina statehouse in Columbia. The Carr Family Lounge in the WestZone at Memorial Stadium is named in the Carr family’s honor.

Carr has served her local community as well serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Old 96 Tourism Commission, as a board member of the Palmetto Agribusiness Council, Midlands Area BB&T Advisory Board, and the Migrant and Seasonal Farmer Worker Commission, and through sponsorship of Edgefield County’s annual Relay for Life. She is a member of the South Carolina Advocates for Agriculture and previously served on the Farm to Institution Advisory Council.

A Top Producer of the Year award winner and Florida Farm Bureau Outstanding Young Farmer and Rancher award winner, Carr also received the 1^st Annual Bayer CropScience Produce Innovation Award – presented to a leader in the produce industry whose thinking, practices and use of technology enhance the role of produce in creating better lives. Her dedication to advancing agriculture through research and innovation has lead Carr to not only impact the field of agriculture, but has offered numerous opportunities to Clemson and its students to impact the world.

The Carrs live in Ridge Spring, South Carolina and have two children, Chalmers IV and Carly Anne.

Jim McCabe was born and raised in Ft. Motte, South Carolina. He entered Clemson as an engineering student in 1943. After several semesters, he withdrew as a student and answered the call to serve his country in World War II. After serving in the United States Navy in the South Pacific, McCabe returned home to St. Matthews, where he worked for the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT). He later began a very successful career in asphalt sales with Standard Oil which later became Esso – known today as ExxonMobil. Upon retirement, McCabe spent an additional 10 years in the asphalt business working with SEACO Asphalt in Columbia, expanding their operation from four asphalt tankers to more than 100.

Although he never graduated from Clemson, McCabe and his wife, Barbara, have been

avid supporters of academics, athletics and the arts at the university for many years. In 1999, McCabe honored the memory of his friend, Joe “Bogie” Bryant, a former Clemson football player, with a $100,000 endowment to IPTAY. In 2011, he sponsored the naming of the baseball locker room at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in honor of his long-time friend and former Clemson baseball coach, Jack Leggett HA’17. During his professional career, McCabe coordinated and secured $500,000 worth of asphalt for the parking lots in and around Memorial Stadium and was responsible for extending the runway at Oconee County Airport so the Clemson University plane could land and take-off from Seneca instead of the Anderson County Airport.

In 2007, the McCabes established the Brian J. O’Rourke ’83 Unrestricted Endowment for the Performing Arts, and in 2012, they established the Ann Harvin Hunter (’80, M’82) Leadership Endowment for the Clemson Alumni Association. McCabe has been a member of IPTAY for more than 65 years and is a significant benefactor and member of the John C. Calhoun Cumulative Gifts Society.

The McCabes are Friends of the Brooks Center for Performing Arts, Friends of the South Carolina Botanical Garden, members of the Calhoun Lecture Series and remain very active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Clemson Cotillion, the Anderson Touchdown Club, the Huguenot Society of South Carolina and the South Carolina Historical Society.

The McCabes live in Clemson and have one son, James T. McCabe Jr.

Gregory C. Smith was born and raised in Coming, New York and after high school decided to make the trek down South for college.  He graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in 1984 and in 1988 received his master’s in international business from the University of South Carolina.

Smith was the co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Advectis, Inc. – a company that pioneered

the processing of mortgage loans electronically, leading to dramatic efficiency improvements to the overall mortgage process. After selling this business to Xerox, Smith undertook the role of VP and General Manager of Xerox Mortgage Services. Today, Smith is the president of Blue Vista Ventures, LLC, a company specializing in the investments of early-stage and start-up technology companies. Smith was credited with leading change within the mortgage industry to drive paper out of the process and lead the industry from an era of pure paper to an era of electronic mortgages. For his accomplishments, Smith was the recipient of the Steve Fraser Visionary Award in 2008, a lifetime achievement award in mortgage technology given by Mortgage Technology Magazine.

Since graduation, Smith has dedicated his time and treasures to helping move Clemson forward. He served as an inaugural member and the first chair of the Advisory Board for the Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership. Founded in 1994, the Spiro Institute provides an educational and research program in entrepreneurship that contributes to the economic development of the region, state and nation. The focus is on wealth creation through entrepreneurial activity.

Smith is a valued mentor to Clemson students pursuing their own entrepreneurial dreams. Since 2015, he has volunteered his time to teach a non-paid entrepreneurship class at Clemson, “How to Start a Start-Up,” (ENTR 1090).  He led the effort to unite alumni from the various colleges at Clemson University to raise money and drive entrepreneurship initiatives through a program called Spiro Fellows. He is also an active member of the Clemson University Board of Visitors, is a major donor to the Clemson golf program and IPTAY and serves on the Golf Paws Advisory Board.

Smith and his wife, Carol, live in Alpharetta, Georgia and have three grown children, Aaron, Sarah Veach, and Audrey.

The Clemson Alumni Association presented Ann Harvin Whetstone Hunter of Greenwood, South Carolina with the 2018 Distinguished Service Award, the association’s highest honor for a Clemson graduate.

“The Distinguished Service Award allows us to take time to recognize a few truly remarkable members of the Clemson family, and

Ann Hunter is certainly one of those,” said Clemson University President James P. Clements. “Ann has committed countless hours to serving Clemson University and her community. We are proud of Ann and the example of service she sets for all of us.”

Hunter grew up in St. Matthews, was the valedictorian at Calhoun Academy and attended Clemson University, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1980 and a master’s degree in 1982, both in chemical engineering. She was a member of the Joint Engineering Council and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) student chapter, and met her husband, Wilson Hunter ’79, through AIChE. She worked for Union Carbide Corp. before her daughter was born.

Hunter and her brother, Jack ’75, M ’78, inherited and now manage a timber farm and she is a member of the South Carolina and Greenwood County forestry associations.

Hunter is committed to supporting Clemson, evidenced by her participation on many Clemson boards. She has held several positions in the Greater Greenwood Clemson Club and served on the Alumni National Council and the board of directors of the Clemson Alumni Association, where she was president in 2014-16. She has also served as an IPTAY representative and on the IPTAY board of directors, The Will to Lead capital campaign athletic cabinet, the Clemson University Foundation board of directors, the Board of Visitors, the Athletic Council and the Women’s Alumni Council.

In 2009, Hunter was named the Clemson Alumni Association’s Volunteer of the Year, and the Clemson Alumni Association Leadership Endowment is named for her. The men’s coaches’ locker room at Littlejohn Coliseum and the trophy case at the Allen N. Reeves Football Operations Complex are also named for Hunter. As a member of the Richard W. Simpson Society and the Clemson Legacy Society, her support has included a Scroll of Honor memorial to honor her dad and her husband’s uncle.

Hunter’s commitment to her community has included being president of Greenwood High School’s PTO and twice named its Volunteer of the Year. She has also served First Greenwood Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and the Greenwood Food Bank. As a Girl Scout leader for 25 years, Hunter is a life member of GSUSA and was named Volunteer of the Year for the Greenwood Girl Scout Service Unit in 1988. She has also served as president of the Danse de Noel Assembly.

The prestigious Clemson Alumni Distinguished Service Award is based on three main criteria: personal and professional accomplishments, dedication and service to Clemson University, and devotion to community and public service. Members of the Clemson family nominate potential winners, who are then selected by the Clemson Alumni Association as outstanding alumni, public servants and examples to others.

“Ann has participated at the highest level of service and giving with Clemson and in her community,” writes Leslie Callison, ’81, a 2017 Distinguished Service Award honoree. “She has been publicly recognized through the Clemson Alumni Association Leadership Endowment established in her name, in addition to numerous leadership and volunteer awards, yet Ann not only serves in high-profile positions, but also quietly rolls up her sleeves to work locally, in Clemson and across the state when there is a need.”

The Hunters live in Greenwood. They have one daughter, Rebecca Hunter Patrick ’07, a son-in-law, John Patrick ’04, and one grandson, Hunter.

The Clemson Alumni Association presented William (Bill) C. Smith, Jr.  of Columbia, South Carolina with the 2018 Distinguished Service Award, the association’s highest honor for a Clemson graduate.

“The Distinguished Service Award allows us to take time to recognize a few truly remarkable members of the Clemson family – and Bill Smith is certainly one of those,” said Clemson University President James P. Clements. “Bill achieved incredible success on the football field, in his career in real estate, through his devotion to community service and in his commitment to making Clemson University better every day. We are proud of Bill and the example of service he sets for all of us.”

Born and raised in Duncan, Smith grew up playing several sports at James F. Byrnes High School before accepting a scholarship to play football at Clemson University. He was a four-year letterman and a starting defensive end on Clemson’s 1981 National Championship team before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in administrative management in 1982.

Smith’s career began in real estate sales, then he co-founded the company Holmes Smith Developments. He later co-founded and became CEO of Red Rock Developments LLC, a commercial real estate development company based in Columbia with an office in Charlotte. He is a member of the South Carolina and North Carolina economic developers’ associations and the national Industrial Asset Management Council, and is a graduate of Leadership Columbia and Leadership South Carolina.

Smith has held numerous leadership positions in several nonprofit organizations, including Shandon Baptist Church in Columbia. He has served on the boards of directors for the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, Hammond High School, the EdVenture Children’s Museum and the Columbia Urban League. For his performance on the football field and contributions in leadership and community service, Smith was awarded Clemson’s Brian Dawkins Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.

Smith has also given back to the Clemson community. He was elected to Clemson’s board of trustees in 1996 and became a lifetime member in 2007. As a trustee, he has served as vice chairman and chaired all 11 committees, including the finance and facilities committee five times. He currently chairs the land and capital asset stewardship committee. Smith is a member of the university’s land stewardship and real estate foundations, and he also serves on the board of the football program’s P.A.W. Journey. Smith and his wife have supported both academics and athletics consecutively for 36 years. They also established the Smith Family Endowment for unrestricted scholarships at Clemson.

The prestigious Clemson Alumni Distinguished Service Award is based on three main criteria: personal and professional accomplishments; dedication and service to Clemson University; and devotion to community and public service. Members of the Clemson family nominate potential winners, who are then selected by the Clemson Alumni Association as outstanding alumni, public servants and examples to others.

“Bill has been a servant leader at Clemson and a loyal supporter who has contributed countless hours of his time in addition to significant financial contributions over the past 30 years,” writes David E. Dukes, a partner in the law firm Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough. “He is highly respected by the Clemson community, the business community and the South Carolina General Assembly.”

Smith is married to Elizabeth “Beth” Black Smith and they live in Columbia and Clemson. Their son, Cannon, played on Clemson’s 2016 Football National Championship team — making him and his father one of five Clemson father-son football champions. He is expected to graduate in December. Their daughter, Catherine “Kaki” Mac Lain ’15, M ’17, lives in Greenville with her husband Eric Mac Lain ’15, M ’17.

The Clemson Alumni Association presented Richard M. Davies, a Charlotte business owner and volunteer, with the 2017 Distinguished Service Award, the association’s highest honor for a Clemson graduate.

“Rich Davies sets an extraordinary example of what a Clemson graduate can accomplish,” said Clemson University President James P. Clements. “He is a leader in his career, he is a dedicated public servant who gives back tirelessly to his community, and he is a loyal and devoted Clemson supporter. We are exceedingly proud to call him part of the Clemson family.”

Davies grew up in Durban, a coastal city in South Africa, playing soccer and rugby, and briefly competed as a professional cricket player in England. His family moved to the United States in 1982. After making a phone call to Danny Ford, Davies became a kicker for the Clemson University football team. He played football from 1982 to 1985 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1986.

A third-generation commercial property developer, Davies began his career in banking and loans before joining his father’s development business. Davies then founded and is now CEO of Pavilion Development Company, a real estate development firm based in Charlotte.

Davies has given back as a leader and visionary to several Clemson programs. He is a member of the Trevillian Cabinet for the College of Business and served as vice-chair on the executive committee of The Will to Lead capital campaign. An avid fan of Clemson athletics, Davies served on the athletic director’s advisory council and football committee under Terry Don Phillips. He is also president of the All-In Team Foundation founded by Dabo and Kathleen Swinney. He has supported the Tiger Golf Gathering and the new Larry B. Penley Jr. Golf Facility and hosts an annual PGA Championship dinner for Clemson leaders and Charlotte-area alumni.

From helping the disadvantaged to promoting education and conservation, Davies has been a leader for a variety of charitable causes. He’s served on the board of the Novant Foundation-Presbyterian Medical Center since 2009. He was named to the Forest Hill Church Council of Elders and is the past chair of the church’s finance and risk management committee and governance committee. He is a past chair of the Mecklenburg County board of advisers for Easter Seals, past member of the board of trustees of Charlotte Latin School, and past member of the board of Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte. Davies is currently a member of the board of directors for the Guy Harvey Ocean Research Foundation. Tapping into a passion to help his home country, Davies founded the Sbonelo Scholarship Foundation that awards scholarships to economically disadvantaged students in South Africa to attend top boarding schools.

The prestigious Clemson Alumni Distinguished Service Award is based on three main criteria:  personal and professional accomplishments; dedication and service to Clemson University; and devotion to community and public service. Members of the Clemson family nominate potential winners, who are then selected by the Clemson Alumni Association as outstanding alumni, public servants and examples to others.

“I have had a front-row seat in watching Rich serve and give to [Clemson] in so many ways,” wrote Dabo Swinney, head coach of Clemson Football.  “He has given of his financial resources, but his service goes way beyond that. He has been a servant leader for Clemson both academically and athletically as he has chaired or led many different committees. He is the epitome of this award and the true spirit of Clemson.”

Davies and his wife, Kelly Carr Davies (’86), live in Charlotte and spend time in Florida. Their two sons, Christopher and Timothy, both graduated from Clemson, as did their daughter-in-law, Lauren Holley Davies.

The Clemson Alumni Association presented Ronald D. Lee, D.M.D., of Aiken with the 2017 Distinguished Service Award, the association’s highest honor for a Clemson graduate.

“Ronnie Lee sets an extraordinary example of what a Clemson graduate can accomplish,” said Clemson University President James P. Clements. “He is a leader in his career, he is a dedicated public servant who gives back tirelessly to his community, and he is a loyal and devoted Clemson supporter. We are exceedingly proud to call him part of the Clemson family.”

Lee graduated Clemson with honors in microbiology in 1976, then earned an M.S. in environmental science and engineering at UNC-Chapel Hill. After working several years as an engineer, he enrolled in dental school, earning a Doctor of Dental Medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in 1988, having served as president of his class all four years. As a dental student, he earned three prestigious awards for scholarship and leadership. Having practiced dentistry in Aiken for 28 years, Lee has been recognized for leadership and excellence in his field, including being named a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, a title given to only 7 percent of practicing dentists nationwide.

Lee has donated significant time and talents to Clemson University. He is active in the Aiken County Clemson Club and, as a member of the Clemson board of visitors, he hosted new student receptions in Aiken. In 2010, the South Carolina General Assembly elected Lee to the Clemson board of trustees, where he currently serves on the committees for Educational Policy, Finance and Facilities, and Student Affairs. He served on the presidential search committee that recommended James P. Clements, and he currently is serving his sixth year as trustee liaison to the board of visitors.

For 45 years, Lee has been an active member, past deacon and volunteer at Millbrook Baptist Church and has served as a medical missionary to Honduras. He has served on the board of Dollars for Scholars, a college scholarship program for local students. In 2015, he was named one of six trustees for the Sage Valley Golf Club Foundation, which hosts the world’s premier international junior golf tournament.

The prestigious Clemson Alumni Distinguished Service Award is based on three main criteria:  personal and professional accomplishments; dedication and service to Clemson University; and devotion to community and public service. Members of the Clemson family nominate potential winners, who are then selected by the Clemson Alumni Association as outstanding alumni, public servants and examples to others.

“Dr. Lee has my highest recommendation for this prestigious recognition,” wrote S.C. State Senator Tom Young Jr. “Few have served Clemson or will serve Clemson with as much passion and commitment and in as selfless a manner as Dr. Lee.”

Lee is married to his high school sweetheart and ’76 Clemson graduate Debra Crawford Lee, who worked with other Clemson board of visitors’ spouses to establish the Grace Catherine Clements ClemsonLIFE Endowed Grant-in-Aid. Together the Lees also support an annual scholarship at Clemson in their names, the Emerging Scholars Program and the Barker Scholars Endowment. They have three children, Meredith Pricket, Allison Nelson, and Ryan Lee, and seven grandchildren.