"I came to Catawba as a little country boy from Stokesdale, NC which seemed like "Forever" away from home. I fell in love with Catawba over the next year and by my senior year would have loved a reason to stay longer. My initial advisor suggested that I might have trouble with many classes, based on my SAT scores. I've never believed that numerical scores measured the heart or the drive of a student. I was blessed to graduate in the top 10 in the class of 1974, Magna Cum Laude, winning the Wall Street Journal Award from the Business Department.

After graduation I was fortunate to begin a career in the insurance industry with Pilot Life Insurance Company in Greensboro, NC. After serving as a Service Representative and a Senior Underwriter/Manager for nearly 15 years, I changed career focus to become the only consulting underwriter in an insurance consultant/brokerage firm in this area, W. E. Stanley & Co. in Greensboro, NC (later bought by BB&T). After working there for 14 years, two of my co-workers and I were bitten by the entrepreneurial bug and started our own insurance consulting firm, Professional Benefits Associates, LLC. After 5 very successful years we recently sold our company to Wells Fargo Insurance Services of NC where I remain employed, providing underwriting expertise for our group insurance clients.

I have been fortunate to maintain my relationship with Catawba by being honored with six years of service on the Alumni Board and currently serve on the Board of Visitors."