Williamson Visits Florida Alumni
Alumni in Florida got to hear the latest news from their alma mater, attend some Williamson events, and meet with other alumni when a group from the college visited from Feb. 21-23.
President Michael Rounds hosted a series of events in Fort Pierce and Tampa and the visit ended watching a Phillies game in Clearwater. Florida locals, Matt McHale 7W8 and Francis Sellitto 0W7 assisted the college in planning and hosting the events.
The trip gave the group from Williamson a great opportunity to reconnect and catch up with alumni based in the Florida area.
Rounds and his wife, Mary Nell, were joined on the trip by John Stuckey, a trustee, and his wife, Lori, as well as Williamson Association of Alumni( WAA)
president Chris Moran 9W9, and WAA Committee Chair Don Dzedzy 7W4. Tricia Ewing, director of major and planned gifts, and Laura Brown, director of alumni relations, also went on the trip.
Regional events serve as an opportunity to build an alumni community outside the college’ s local area and it is exciting to see Williamson’ s Florida group continue to grow.
For more information on regional and local alumni events, visit williamson. edu / events or contact the alumni relations staff at 610-566-1776, 420.
Be sure to follow the alumni social media accounts for up-to-date information on all alumni activities- Facebook: Williamson Association of Alumni and Instagram: @ willliamsonalumni.
Making new friends and socializing were part of the Florida trip. Pictured above are( from left to right): Jerry Johnston 6W7, President Michael Rounds, Dan Armes 0W9, Brad Hurrell 0W6, WAA president Chris Moran 9W9, and Kathleen and Jim 7W1 Cass, and below, John Stuckey, trustee, Cyndi and John Sell 7W9, Donald Dzedzy 7W4, Moran, Matt McHale 7W8, and Cynthia and Jim O’ Neill 7W0.
Wesleys Receive Well-Deserved Award
Continued from page 6 tunity, he also was impressed with Williamson’ s values-based education and emphasis on patriotism.
Bonenberger said the Wesleys had been donating to Williamson for several years when they asked him and President Michael Rounds what do the students need most to improve their quality of life and their chances of graduating?“ They decided to create something that has changed the face of our campus and the lives of our students. Because they don’ t do anything halfway, they made a $ 20 million gift through their foundation to build the student center that now bears their name. They followed this up with a second gift of $ 1.5 million to add the bleachers, athletic field lighting, and enhance the landscaping.
“ Joe and Marion remind me a lot of our founder, Isaiah Williamson. They came from humble beginnings, worked hard, started their own business, took some chances to make it successful, and in the process became very successful. Joe often says,‘ Only in America could someone from such humble beginnings experience the life Marion and I have lived.’ And, like our founder, they didn’ t think only of themselves, they used their success to help others, people they don’ t even know, to help them also achieve success. Williamson College of the Trades is honored and proud to have Joe and Marion Wesley as friends and part of our family.”
Howley Dormitory is Dedicated
Continued From Page 1 to help us reach a greater number of talented and financially deserving students. In addition, the foundation supports 36 students through our named scholarship program. One third of our named scholarship scholars are Howley scholars. There is no doubt that the Howleys are having a tremendous impact here at Williamson and we are grateful and appreciative of this.”
He thanked Bob Reid of Spiezle Architectural Group for designing the dormitory; Tim Brown 0W1, vice president of operations, and Provost Todd Zachary for their work as the owner’ s representatives in the construction process; and Mike Mullen, project executive, and trustee Jim Obermeier, president and CEO of CYMA Builders and Construction Managers, for lending their expertise. He also thanked Williamson masonry students for building the exterior sign and the landscape construction and management students for doing the landscaping around the dormitory.
William Bonenberger 7W9, board chairman, said in his remarks“ The Howley Foundation was created in 2001 by Nick and Lorie Howley out of their desire to support educational opportunities for economically disadvantaged young people with the focus on institutions with character formation culture and clear verifiable ways to measure the effectiveness of their program, with the goal of these students becoming productive adults. Does that sound to anyone like Williamson’ s mission statement?
“ Today, their daughter Meg Howley serves as the foundation’ s executive director in the Philadelphia area and many Howley family members serve on its board. The foundation believes deeply that education is one of the most important catalysts for promoting positive change in individuals and society.”
The Howley Foundation provides tuition assistance to over 1,200 students in Cleveland, Ohio, and Philadelphia as well as high schools and colleges around the United States.
Nick Howley is the founder and chairman of Transdigm Group, Inc., The company is one of the largest worldwide designers, producers and suppliers of highly engineered aircraft components, systems and subsystems. Additionally, Howley is chairman of Perimeter Solutions, the largest worldwide provider of wildfire prevention products and services. Howley is the founder, chairman, and trustee of The Howley Foundation.
He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Drexel University and an MBA at Harvard Business School.
He is the 2022 recipient of the Singleton Prize for CEO Excellence given by the Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship. In 2023, he delivered the keynote address at Williamson’ s 133rd commencement.
His nonprofit community service includes serving as national chairman of the Cristo Rey Network board.
Nick’ s extensive charitable governance experience also includes service on the boards of Drexel University, Case Western Reserve University, The Cleveland Clinic, St. Joseph’ s Preparatory School, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Washington and Jefferson College, St. Martin de Porres High School, Gilmour Academy as well as various public and private for-profit boards.
Lorie Howley, the co-founder of The Howley Foundation, studied ornamental horticulture and worked in the education department at Longwood Gardens where she developed and taught postsecondary and continuing education programs.
In 2001, she became the executive director of the foundation and in 2014, president of the board of directors. In these positions, she grew the scope of the organization. Today, she remains an active member of the board.
She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Ornamental Horticulture and a Master’ s Degree in Communications Art at Cornell University.
Other funders of the dormitory construction project are: the Armstrong Foundation, Dan Baker, Baker Concrete Construction Enterprises, Crystal Trust, The McClean Contributionship, and an anonymous donor. Wendy McLean was in attendance representing The McLean Contributionship.
At the conclusion of the remarks, the dormitory was officially dedicated with the cutting of a ribbon on the front porch, by Nick and Lorie Howley, Rounds, Bonenberger, Specht, and members of the Howley family.
The ceremony also included a reception in the first-floor dormitory lounge and a tour of that floor.
The ceremony began with an invocation by the Rev. Dr. Mark Specht 7W7, chaplain, who also gave the benediction.
Nick Howley
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