The Founders’ Day program also included the presentation of several other awards. Luke Hillier, who earned a bachelor’s degree in financial management from ODU in 1994, received the Distinguished Entrepreneurial Award.

He is chairman of the board and CEO of ADS Inc., one of the nation’s leading special and tactical operations equipment providers for the Department of Defense and other federal agencies. He oversees both East and West Coast operations with a workforce of more than 200 and annual sales of $588 million. Hillier maintains his ties to the university, serving as vice chair of the College of Business and Public Administration’s Executive Advisory Council.