SEN. FORBES TO SPEAK AT TONIGHT'S FOUNDERS' WEEK AWARDS DINNER
Sen. J. Randy Forbes (R-Chesapeake), who represents Virginia's 14th District in the General Assembly, will be the guest speaker at Old Dominion University's Founders' Week awards dinner Thursday, Oct. 12, honoring distinguished alumni and area leaders.
The dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the North Cafeteria of Webb University Center, preceded at 6 p.m. by a reception in the North Mall.
In addition to the presentation of awards, the program will include the unveiling of a new university history book, titled "Old Dominion University: From the Great Depression to the New Millennium, 1930 - 2000."
Founders' Week activities also will include a basketball tip-off luncheon at noon Oct. 13 in Webb Center with guest speaker Jim Nantz, a CBS sports studio host and commentator, followed at 10 p.m. by the annual Monarch Madness celebration at the Field House, heralding the official start of the basketball season. Tickets for the luncheon are $20 for adults
and $10 for Old Dominion students, and may be purchased by calling 683-4444 by Oct. 10. Admission to Monarch Madness is $1 at the door.
Seven Old Dominion graduates will receive Distinguished Alumni Awards at the Founders' Day dinner Oct. 12. They are:
Richard G. Ellenberger "75" Just two years after taking the helm of Cincinnati Bell, Ellenberger led the company's acquisition of IXC Communications " taking Cincinnati Bell's reputation as a technology leader and customer service provider and combining it with IXC's next-generation fiber optic network to create Broadwing Inc., the company he now serves as
president and CEO. He lives in Cincinnati.
David W. Faeder "78 "- Faeder, who lives in Vienna, Va., is president and vice chairman of Sunrise Assisted Living Inc., a Chantilly, Va.-based firm with an enterprise value of approximately $1.5 billion and more than 12,000 employees in three countries. In September, Sunrise was recognized as number 30 on Fortune's Fastest Growing 100 list.
Nancy Lieberman-Cline "00"- A former collegiate basketball All-American, player on the U.S. Olympic team and four professional teams, and recent coach and general manager of the WNBA's Detroit Shock, Lieberman-Cline is a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and serves as president of the Women's Sports Foundation. Lieberman-Cline, who
attended Old Dominion from 1976-80, completed the requirements for her degree earlier this year.
Patrick J. McNeela "72"- McNeela is vice president and managing director for GE Asset Management's Private Equity Group, where his focus is on the Internet, technology and communications. A founder of GE Capital's Equity Capital Group, he has contributed to the Private Equity Group's $1.6 billion direct investment portfolio. McNeela lives in Westport, Conn.
Clarence L. Ray Jr. "70" - In the highly competitive world of engineering, Ray has spent his entire 30-year career with one organization, and currently serves as president and CEO of Duke/Fluor Daniel, a company jointly owned by Duke Energy Corp. and Fluor Corp. He lives in Charlotte, N.C.
Ernie J. Smith "79"- Smith is executive vice president for finance and administration and CFO of Ahold USA Inc., one of the nation's top food providers, which operates more than 1,000 supermarkets with volumes in excess of $20 billion. He also serves as CFO for the recently formed WorldWide Retail Exchange. Smith lives in Leesburg, Va.
Mark A. West "83" - A collegiate All-American basketball player and NBA veteran, West embarks on his 18th season in the league this year.Throughout his professional basketball career, West has built a separate career as a stockbroker. He currently works with Prudential Securities in Phoenix where he manages financial portfolios for more than 50 accounts.
The following community leaders also will be honored during the program:
Thomas J. Johnson Jr. - Johnson, managing partner of Willcox & Savage, will receive the Albert B. "Buck" Gornto Regional Service Award. His involvement with the Southside Boys and Girls Club board, which began immediately following his graduation from law school in 1969, continues to this day. He served on the Norfolk School Board from 1976 to 1990, the last
nine years as chair, and has served as president of both the Tidewater Scholarship Foundation board and the Greater Norfolk Corporation. The Gornto Award was established in memory of Buck Gornto, a 1956 Old Dominion graduate, former Board of Visitors member and longtime supporter of the university.
Irvine B. Hill- Hill, vice president of public affairs and community programming for Cox Communications, will receive the university's Distinguished Achievement Certificate. For the last 17 years, the former Norfolk mayor has been a fixture on area airwaves. His commitment to his hometown - "the great city of Norfolk" and the region is demonstrated through his "Hampton Roads Speaks Out" show on Cox Channel 11. Hill, who attended Old Dominion when it was known as the Norfolk Division, is a former member of the Board of Visitors and a former chair of the university's Intercollegiate Foundation. He currently serves as president of Old Dominion's Economics Club of Hampton Roads.
Richard T. Cheng - Cheng will receive the university's Distinguished Entrepreneurial Award. Hired by Old Dominion in 1979 to build the computer science program, Cheng taught full-time until 1985, stepping down to fully devote his time and energy to the firm he had established on the side in 1980, ECI Systems and Engineering. What started with two employees has
since grown to more than 500, with offices in several states and revenues exceeding $50 million annually.
John R. Morrison and Elaine P. Witty - Morrison and Witty will receive Town-N-Gown Community Service Awards. Morrison has been president and general manager of WHRO, Hampton Roads- public broadcasting station, since 1975. He has served on the boards and councils for such organizations as the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Hampton Roads, Future of Hampton Roads, Greater Norfolk Corporation, Norfolk Forum and Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake
By. He was president of the Tidewater chapter and Virginia region board chair for the National Conference for Community and Justice, and is chair of the executive directors' council of the Cultural Alliance of Greater
Hampton Roads.
Witty retired in 1999 after 30 years with Norfolk State University's School of Education. She served as the school's dean for 18 years. In addition to her work preparing new generations of teachers, she has long been committed to community service. She works extensively with her church, and has served as chair of the Urban League of Hampton Roads Education
Committee. She is a member of the Tidewater chapter of the American Red Cross Executive Committee and member of the Children's Camp and Care Fund and the Chrysler Museum Library Board. She has spearheaded voter registration drives for state and national elections, and was a pioneer in addressing the national issue of minority teacher shortages in the early
1980s.
Founders' Week activities will wrap up with a musical tribute to President James V. and Donna L. Koch scheduled for
7 p.m. Oct. 13 in Chandler Recital Hall of the Diehn Fine and Performing Arts Center. Dennis J. Zeisler, chair of the music department, will direct the program, which will feature performances by music department faculty. The concert is free and open to the public, but seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.