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A Publication of Palm Beach Atlantic University Volume XXV No. 3 Current Fall 2014 Much to Celebrate Marshall & Vera Lea Rinker Athletic Campus opens Pages 3 & 7 Dr. Don Warren ‘Friendraiser-in-chief’ fondly recalled Page 18 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS FALL 2014 Volume XXV No. 3 Page 4 President: Shaun Castillo ’01 Art Williams of Vice President: Joshua Sheats ’07 A publication of A.L. Williams fame Rosemary Aguilar ’09/ ’11 M.S. Palm Beach Atlantic University to share "how to Natalie Alvarez ’11 Beth Charbonneau ’10 build a team" in Victoria Chouris ’97/ ’01 MBA A letter from the President ______________ 3 Nov. 6 American Matthew Clark ’04 Free Enterprise Jeana Vassalotti Colby ’99 event. John Cupini ’08 Key expansions of main campus ___________ 6 Lee Curtis ’04 Page 8 Brian Dobrodziej ’06 Elizabeth Duncan Eubanks ’04 M.Ed. New baseball Evelyn Flores ’06/ ’09 M.S. Sports: $1.5 million for baseball field ______ 8 field exceeds "our Paul Giles ’94 wildest dreams," Richard Heers ’90 says coach. Brendan Kesler ’07 Paul Eastman Scholarship _____________ 10 James King ’03 Richard Lassiter ’88 Stephen Magallanes ’07 Leah Chambliss McCrady ’06 Dr. Gene Fant, new provost _____________ 13 Matthew McKee ’95 Page 10 Yalonda Moring Meckstroth ’83 After years of Claudia Wolf Moore ’05 Pharm.D. Welcome Week at new athletic campus ____ 14 substance abuse, Geraldine Wetherington Padgett ’72 tough love from Carlin Stob Rykse ’08 PBA made a Ana Salguero ’12 Guide dog leads a leader ______________ 16 difference. Chad Simpson ’96 Ben Starling III ’92 Joseph Thomas ’03 Michael Thorstad ’07 MBA Recalling Dr. Donald E. Warren __________ 18 Page 20 PARENTS COUNCIL Former music Brad and Debbie Mason, co-chairs major's church Alumnus' Community of Hope ___________ 20 Wayne and Deretta Cotton, founding plant thrives in members Loxahatchee. Rich and Catherine Berlanti William and Cynthia Campbell Class Notes ________________________ 22 Mike and Colleen DeGraaf Eric and Jennifer Duncan David and Kathy Fox Day of Giving, a first for PBA ____________ 27 Dave and Priscilla Guinta Back cover Mike and Christy Lubben Follow link to David and Darlene Miller a slide show of Greg and Lisa Mills images from PBA • William M. B. Fleming, Jr. mission trips. President On the Cover Vicki Pugh Vice President for Development Sailfish celebration Becky Peeling, APR, ’05 M.S. Connor Adamson takes a flying leap to Associate Vice President for University Relations and Marketing congratulate Steven Fiema after Fiema’s goal against Southeastern University in the opening Delesa Hinkle Morris ’85/ ’14 M.S. Assistant Vice President for contest at the Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Alumni Relations and Annual Fund Athletic Campus. See pages 3 and 7. Maria O’Carroll ’07 Assistant Director of Alumni Relations Online Connections Mary Jacobs Director of Parent Relations & Special Projects PBA Alumni PBAtlantic PBAvideo 2 CURRENT FALL 2014 From left are Danielle Robinson and Kaila Seiders, PBA cheerleaders; Robert Simpson, trustee; John Greene, trustee; Scott Hawkins, trustee chairman; President Fleming; Jeri Muoio, West Palm Beach mayor; Dennis Grady, Chamber of Commerce president; Carolyn Stone, athletic director; and Liz Gonzalez, Student Athlete Advisory Committee president. From the President for endowed student scholarships To complete the campaign, we and program development. need your help, and I proudly ask Dear Friends, Visionary leaders like John and for it. If you have not yet made On Sept. 4, donors, dignitaries, Sheila Rinker, the J. M. Rubin a gift or pledge to the campaign, PBA staff and faculty, student Foundation, Karl and Faith Watson, please contact our vice president athletes and neighbors joined Robert and Denice Simpson, for development, Vicki Pugh at together to celebrate the opening Richard and Helen DeVos, (561) 803-2012 or vicki_pugh@pba. of the Marshall and Vera Lea Marshall and Irene Jones, Merrill edu. Your gift is gratefully accepted Rinker Athletic Campus. It was and Lorraine Eastman, Karl and through our website at pba.edu/ indeed a glorious day and a historic Michelle Watson, Lester Woerner, giving. celebration. Scott and Lisa Hawkins and many The Time is Now for Palm Beach The skies cleared in time for other donors too numerous to list Atlantic University to have a home a ribbon cutting, picnic and a have supported this important field. The Time is Now to build spectacular Sailfish men’s soccer 3-1 initiative. To date, we have raised athletics at PBA. The Time is Now victory. The first win for the Sailfish more than $15.2 million toward for all of us to reflect on what we on their new varsity field was in our $18 million goal. might do and how we might give so front of 1,500 faithful fans. We are that the Time is Now campaign can looking forward to many more reach its goal of $18 million. firsts as women’s soccer, men’s and Thank you for your support, women’s tennis, softball, baseball your prayers and your belief in and men’s and women’s lacrosse PBA. teams begin their seasons at the Rinker Athletic Campus, as well as students who will use the facility for recreational and community activities. At the event, I announced our campaign: The Time is Now, William M. B. Fleming, Jr. which is providing funding for this President transformational project, as well as CURRENT FALL 2014 3 American Free Enterprise Day (AFE) is a Palm Beach Atlantic University tradition, dating back to 1984. It is highlighted by a medal ceremony that honors individuals whose hard work and achievement exemplify the best of the American free enterprise system. A medalist of the year is selected and companion medals are awarded to other business leaders as well. This year’s ceremony begins at 10:45 a.m. on Nov. 6 in the Greene ART Complex for Sports and Recreation. Williams Master Teambuilder ow does a high school football coach go on moved to Palm Beach. Through his friendship with to develop the largest-selling life insurance Watson and the late Dr. Donald E. Warren, he became company in the world? The Palm Beach acquainted with PBA. HAtlantic family and guests will hear a bit of that “I like the direction y’all are headed,” said Williams, remarkable story and more when Arthur L. “Art” who has retained the accent of his native Georgia. Williams Jr. receives PBA’s American Free Enterprise He referred to PBA’s growth and the development of Medal on Nov. 6. the Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Athletic Campus. “The way I built my company was just like the way “I think it’s important for a school like Palm Beach I built a football team,” said Williams. And so after Atlantic to have a big emphasis on athletics and have receiving the prestigious medal here, he’ll talk to the good athletic teams,” he said. “Athletics teach you audience about “how to build a team; how to get the principles and fundamentals that you almost can’t get most out of people; how to treat people.” anywhere else.” Williams began selling term life insurance part- Williams at one time owned a franchise in the time and quickly found that his commissions Canadian Football League, and he also owned the surpassed his coach’s salary. Then in 1977, with no National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning. But business education and no corporate management he’s become disenchanted with professional sports. “I experience, he founded A.L. Williams & Associates don’t like the image professional athletes present to the in Atlanta. By 1990, the company had a sales force of young people today,” he said. He sees a similar problem 225,000 agents in 50 states and Canada. with some college sports, where “in most schools, it’s all “To me, Art represents what free enterprise is all about winning, and winning at any price. about,” said Karl H. Watson, PBA trustee and recipient “You can win and play at a high level and still of the American Free Enterprise Medal in 2007. have athletes with good values and good reputations Williams came “from a very humble background,” around campus,” he said. But to do so, “you’ve got said Watson, and he built a top-flight company. to have the right kind of leadership at the university. In November 1989 Williams sold his company That’s one thing I love about Palm Beach Atlantic. to Primerica Corporation, and shortly thereafter he Values still matter.” 4 CURRENT FALL 2014 Arthur L. “Art” Williams Jr. in his North Carolina home. He also has a home in Palm Beach. “I believe in Christian education,” said Williams. addressing crowds as large as the 40,000 who heard “You really can’t separate your business life and your him in the New Orleans Superdome. personal life and your spiritual life. If you have a lousy Williams’ AFE medal presentation and remarks personal life and a lousy spiritual life, long-range, I will take place in the Greene Complex for Sports and think you’ll really lose in business.” Recreation. The program begins at 10:45, and is open Though he calls himself semi-retired, Williams once to the public. again has built a team for a thriving business. He and In addition to Williams’ award, American Free his wife have 350 employees in their award-winning Enterprise companion medals will be presented to Old Edwards Inn and Spa in North Carolina’s Blue Fabiola Brumley of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Ridge Mountains. Greg Quattlebaum of Quattlebaum Funeral, Cremation He has written five books, including the New York and Event Center and Peter Reed of Commercial Times bestseller “All You Can Do Is All You Can Florida Realty Services.