Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Nota Bene: 2017 Alumni Awards

As part of our annual Founders Day festivities, we will pay tribute to our 2017 Alumni Awards recipients. This year’s honorees are accomplished, talented and bring great honor and distinction to Virginia Wesleyan University:

Douglas B. Wilson ’86
Distinguished Alumnus Award

Executive Vice President, LifeNet Health
Doug Wilson received his B.A. degree in political science, with focus on communication, from Virginia Wesleyan. His entire career has been spent in biologics, as he started working in transplantation as an administrator for a blood center and joined LifeNet Health in 1989. Doug began as a field representative and went on to establish the marketing and sales departments at LifeNet Health. In August 2006, Doug was promoted to Executive Vice President and is responsible for the Marketing and Business Development, Corporate Public Relations and Legal matters. He also serves as Vice President of the LifeNet Health Foundation, which provides resources for the research and donor family support missions of LifeNet Health. Doug has received the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Medallion award for Excellence in Communications.

W. Taylor Franklin ’04
Alumni Service Award

Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, The Franklin Johnston Group
W. Taylor Franklin is Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer with The Franklin Johnston Group. His primary responsibilities include new business development, multi-family management (est: 12,000 apartment homes), the supervision of new construction and the location of new development opportunities. Taylor works alongside the company’s development team designing, planning, financing, and stabilizing new apartment communities. He has been responsible for the development of 15 communities over the past 12 years with a total value of $500 million. Taylor serves on the boards of many local organizations, including the Chesapeake Bay Wine Classic, Access College Foundation Board, and The Virginia Gentlemen. He is chairman of the board at Norfolk Collegiate School.

Sydney A. Covey ’16
Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award

Sustainability Program Analyst, Hourigan Construction
As the Sustainability Program Analyst for Hourigan Construction, Sydney has been leading the Sustainable Construction certification processes on many commercial and federal projects, including Virginia Wesleyan's Greer Environmental Sciences Center and the interior fit out of the ADP Office in Norfolk. While green building and construction practices are her focus, Sydney is also assisting in developing Hourigan’s sustainability plan to manage the company’s impact on the environment, community, and economy. As the Sustainability Program Analyst, she is connecting green building practices and corporate sustainability to help guide the organization to a more sustainable business model. Sydney started with Hourigan as a sustainability intern and has since been able to incorporate two other VWU students in Hourigan’s summer internship program. She currently serves on the Market Leadership Advisory Board for the USGBC-Hampton Roads Community, as well as the Program Partners Committee for the Lynnhaven River Now and the Hampton Roads Corporate Volunteer Council.

Our Alumni Awards recipients will be recognized during an Alumni Awards Celebration this Thursday, September 7, from 9:00-10:30 a.m. in Boyd Dining Center East (please note: this event is by invitation) and again at 11:00 a.m. during the Founders Day Convocation in the Jane P. Batten Student Center.

Congratulations to our 2017 Alumni Awards honorees!