Special Awards Forum
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HORATIO ALGER ASSOCIATION OF E HorAtio AlGEr mEmBErs H ADvAncinG our mission T FORUM DISTINGUISHED AMERICANS, INC. introDucinG tHE 2018 HorAtio AlGEr AwArD rEciPiEnts: Gregory E. Abel ronald m. Don r. Daseke Alphonso r. Jackson David Johnston larry lawson Bergeron, sr. (Canada) Jimmy John liautaud rob lowe reba mcEntire James H. Pugh, Jr. Ernest s. rady H. lee scott, Jr. 71ST AnnuAl 2018 normAn vincEnt PEAlE AwArD rEciPiEnts: HorAtio AlGEr AwArDs InduCTIon CeremonIeS David l. sokol (’04) Paul Anthony novelly (’00) tHursDAY, APril 5 – sAturDAY, APril 7, 2018 A meSSAge to our mEmBErs It is our honor in this fall issue of The We congratulate our members who Another form of membership Forum to announce the 2018 have been an active part of our participation and support came recipients of the Horatio Alger Award . organization for many years—for it is recently from T. denny Sanford ('16), We know that as you become familiar through their generosity that we have who has given $30 million to the with their stories of personal struggle awarded more than $125 million to Association's endowment Fund. His and humble beginnings, you will more than 25,000 young people. It is generous gift, which is deeply recognize the one quality that can be through their generosity that we have appreciated, will result in a new found in all Horatio Alger members: become one of the nation’s top scholarship program. You can read resiliency. When they were faced with scholarship-granting organizations. more about it in this issue's member internal or external challenges, they And it is through their generosity and news section. moved forward and through them, one their determination to make a lasting step at a time, to reach a goal or attain difference in the lives of our nation’s Horatio Alger Association members a dream. That is what Horatio Alger most deserving young people that we have worked hard to achieve our members do, and, in so doing, they have achieved our endowment Fund goals. We have awarded $125 million inspire others. goal of $250 million. Please join us for in scholarships since 1984. now, as we our 71st year of celebrating self-made move toward our 75th anniversary in We hope you will join us April 5–7, success through the opportunities that 2022, we have set the goal of 2018, for the Horatio Alger Awards are there for all of us through the free- awarding a total of $215 million by that induction ceremonies in washington, enterprise system. date. The need is real and the benefits D.c., where we will welcome our new for our nation's future are tangible. We members and become acquainted membership participation is key to hope you will join us in this important with our 2018 national Scholars. making a nonprofit organization mission. vibrant. As you will find in the pages lou dobbs has for the past 12 years of this issue, we have had enthusiastic The Horatio Alger Association was served as a master of ceremonies of participation at our board and founded as a way to show the the Horatio Alger Awards dinner. He membership meetings. the 2017 younger generation that the American will not be joining us in that capacity Horatio Alger membership and Board dream endures. For our organization, this year, and we offer him our of Directors meeting in chicago and the American Dream is freedom, sincerest thanks for his past service. In the 2017 Horatio Alger Association of mutual respect, and equality of 2018, the Awards dinner will be co- canada Board meeting and opportunity . Through our many emceed by Byron Pitts ('17) and Tom Excellence Gala in toronto were well educational programs, we reinforce Selleck ('00). We thank them both for attended and provided opportunities that message. We are grateful to our their support and generosity of time for members, life Partners, and membership for making that possible. and look forward to their leadership Friends to convene regionally to learn roles at this important event. more about the Association’s current programs and plans for the future. Byron D. trott matthew K. rose Barbara Barrett walter scott, Jr. v. Prem watsa Chairman President Vice President Chairman emeritus President endowment Fund Horatio Alger Chairman and Association of Canada President TABle oF contEnts A message to our members . inside cover the 71st Annual Horatio Alger Awards . 2 2018 Horatio Alger Award recipients . 2 2018 norman Vincent Peale Award recipients Anthony novelly . 15 david l. Sokol . 16 Schedule of events . 17 2018 national Scholars Conference . 19 membership Activities . 22 2017 membership and Board of directors meeting . 22 2017 Canadian membership and Board of directors meeting and excellence gala . 25 State of the Association meetings . 27 members in the news . 28 In Tribute . 33 Educational & Alumni Programs . 34 national and State Scholarship Programs . 34 Specialized Scholarship Programs . 34 Canadian Scholarship Programs . 35 national Career & Technical Scholarship Program . 35 dennis r. Washington Achievement Scholarship Program . 35 Collegiate Partners . 37 Alumnus of the Year—rangel mclaurin . 40 Alumni global leadership Summit . 43 research . 44 Portraits of Contrast . 44 national visibility . 45 Association leadership . 47 Horatio Alger Association Board of directors executive Committee . 47 Horatio Alger Association Board of directors . 48 Horatio Alger endowment Fund . 50 Horatio Alger Association of Canada . 50 Strategic directions Committee . 50 future Events . 51 &+$5,7<1$9,*$725 5(&2*1,=(6 +25$7,2$/*(5$662&,$7,212)',67,1*8,6+(' $0(5,&$16 $6$67$55$7('&+$5,7< $8*867 THe Forum 1 THe 71ST HorATIo Alger AWArdS inDuction cErEmoniEs APril 5 –7, 2018, wAsHinGton, D.c. 2018 Horatio Alger Award recipients As the Association inducts the 2018 Horatio Alger Award recipients into its membership, we celebrate the opportunities free enterprise offers to all citizens. These outstanding new members who have reached the pinnacle of success exemplify all that can be accomplished through one’s own efforts, through dedication to goals, and through a fierce determination to meet and overcome life’s challenges. We salute their achievements and know that their life stories—which they will share with us during the Awards events—will serve to motivate and inspire the 2018 national Scholars from the united States and Canada as they pursue higher education and anticipate a life full of promise. It is our honor to present the Horatio Alger Class of 2018. GrEGorY E. ABEl International recipient—Canada rEBA mcEntirE Chairman, President, & Ceo DAviD JoHnston multimedia entertainer & Berkshire Hathaway energy Chair entrepreneur rideau Hall Foundation ron m. BErGEron, sr. 28th governor general of Canada JAmEs H. PuGH, Jr. Founder & Ceo Chief executive officer, owner, Bergeron land development, Inc. lArrY lAwson & Chairman Bergeron Family of Companies Founder and Ceo epoch residential Bergeron Properties & Heartcor Solutions, llC Investment Corp. ErnEst s. rADY JimmY JoHn liAutAuD Founder, executive Chairman of the Don r. DAsEKE owner, Founder, & Chairman Board, Chief executive officer, & Founder, Chairman, Jimmy John’s gourmet Sandwiches President President, & Ceo American Assets Trust, Inc. daseke Inc. roB lowE Founder and Chairman Film & Television Actor, Producer, ICW group Insurance Companies AlPHonso r. JAcKson Writer, director, & new York Times Ceo Best-Selling Author H. lEE scott, Jr. A.r. Jackson Advisors llC Former President, Ceo, and 13th u.S. Secretary of Housing and Chairman of the executive urban development Committee Walmart Stores, Inc. 2 THe Forum 2018 HorATIo Alger AwArD rEciPiEnt gregorY e. ABel Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Vice Chairman – Non-Insurance Business Operations Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Executive Chairman EArlY lifE chairman to his title. In 2014, midAmerican became gregory Abel was born in 1962 in edmonton, Alberta, Berkshire Hathaway energy which, today, is a diversified Canada, where his parents worked hard to support their global holding company with assets in excess of $90 two children. From them, he learned to be responsible billion and owns subsidiaries principally engaged in energy and independent from an early age. For his first job he businesses in the united States, united Kingdom, Canada, delivered advertising flyers to homes, which he and the Philippines. In January 2018, while remaining supplemented by cleaning discarded bottles and executive chairman of Berkshire Hathaway energy, Abel redeeming them for money. He also worked as a laborer was appointed vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. for a forest product company. In high school as well as Berkshire Hathaway and its subsidiaries engage in diverse college, he worked for a company where he filled fire business activities including insurance and reinsurance, extinguishers. on his own time, he enjoyed playing utilities and energy, freight rail transportation, finance, hockey, which taught him the importance of working manufacturing, services and retailing. with a team. His parents encouraged and supported him to seek friendships and opportunities in education, greg Abel serves as a director and vice chairman of sports, and work. They believed that if he was fully edison electric Institute, an association of u.S. investor- engaged on these levels he would develop into a well- owned electric companies and Associated electric & gas rounded person. Insurance Services limited, a mutual insurance company. He also serves on the board of directors for nuclear EDucAtion AnD EArlY cArEEr electric Insurance limited, a mutual insurance company of Abel attended public school in edmonton. He earned nuclear power facilities, and The Kraft Heinz Company. a small scholarship from levitt Safety, the fire extinguisher company, and completed his civic AffAirs AnD PHilAntHroPY undergraduate degree in commerce in 1984 from Abel serves on the board of directors for the Hockey the university of Alberta, where he graduated with Canada Foundation and on the executive board of the distinction. each summer he worked for the City of mid-Iowa Council Boy Scouts of America.