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Celebrating alumni who exemplify Ut Prosim
Virginia Tech stands tall when it comes to service, and countless Hokies have continued to support the university in different ways after graduation. Here are a few examples of alumni and their inspiring contributions.
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ANN SPENCER '76
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Based in Jackson Hole, Wyo., former Virginia Tech Associate Vice President of Administration Ann Spencer (accounting '76; M.B.A. '84) is an independent consultant for higher education and its supporting associations. "Virginia Tech is the foundation of the person I am today," says Spencer, who was named the Outstanding Young Alumna in 1984. "The school not only gave me a well-regarded education, but also reinforced my lifelong values. Having the opportunity to spend a large part of my career at my alma mater only added to the affinity I feel for the university. Virginia Tech is for life, and I feel privileged to be able to give back in some small way, considering the huge impact the university has had on my life."
Spencer continues to serve the university in a number of roles. A past president of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association, Spencer is a member of the R.B. Pamplin College of Business Advisory Council, the Virginia Tech Foundation Board of Directors, the Women and Leadership in Philanthropy Council, the Ut Prosim Society, the Audit Committee of the Foundation Board, and the MBA Alumni Advisory Board. She also serves as the president of the Greater Yellowstone Region Alumni Club and in various advisor roles to the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and Panhellenic Council student organizations.
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GREG MERRITT '93
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A resident of Sterling, Va., Greg Merritt (marketing management '93) became involved with the then-Northern Virginia Chapter of the Alumni Association (today the National Capital Region Chapter) shortly after graduation. The manager of partner implementation and operations for CARFAX, Merritt explains, "Being in many clubs and organizations at Tech inspired me to get involved with the alumni chapter. Applying my marketing degree to something other than my job was fun, and finding new ways to bring together the more than 25,000 Hokies in the D.C. area was challenging."
As past president of the National Capital Region Chapter, Merritt was honored with the Outstanding Chapter Officer Award in 2003. His enthusiasm for his role is evident in his other contributions. "I wanted to share the ideas and successes of the NOVA Chapter and I found an outlet in the Capital Alumni Network, where I was able to connect with about 200 other college and university alumni chapters in the region." Since then, he has served as the network's president, second vice president, director of communications, and public relations officer.
Merritt also is a member of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association Board of Directors. "I am honored to be a part of the board of directors. I hope to share some knowledge and to learn a lot from its diverse members. Ut Prosim resonated with me when I was at Tech and continues to do so now. I am a Hokie for life."
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NANCY SAUER '84
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Nancy Sauer (industrial engineering and operations research '84), co-founder and president of D2Xchange LLC, has volunteered with the Alumni Association since she was a student. "My senior year, I joined the Student Alumni Associates and participated firsthand in the great things the Alumni Association did to carry on traditions, expand alumni participation, and continually promote Virginia Tech," says Sauer. "It was through this connection that Tom Tillar encouraged me to join in Alumni Association activities. He has been unwavering in his support and encouragement of my involvement across the university."
Sauer, a former national president of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association Board, says, "During my tenure on the board, I reflected on the opportunities I was given as a student leader and wondered how to make those available to others--how more students could have the fabulous experiences that I had. Others shared those thoughts, and through the collaboration of multiple academic and administrative areas, we created the Residential Leadership Community. Now, hundreds of students are given the leadership foundation and service opportunity in a program that achieved university exemplary status and is a model for other universities."
A resident of Englewood, Colo., Sauer is a long way from Blacksburg, but she believes that it is important to maintain strong ties with her alma mater. "I have a personal commitment to service and, like many, I have a passion for Virginia Tech. Both service and my love of Tech have been fostered and supported by others. The journey that has guided me has been influenced by many people, each of whom brought something special that resulted in my desire to serve and in the development of my leadership skills."
Today, Sauer continues to serve the university as a member of the College of Engineering Committee of 100 Executive Committee, chair of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Advisory Board, past president of the Denver Alumni Chapter, and a member of the VT KnowledgeWorks Advisory Board and VT Midas Institute.
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KIMBLE REYNOLDS '88
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Kimble "Jay" Reynolds (marketing '88; M.S. education '95), lawyer and owner of the Law Office of Kimble Reynolds Jr., resides in Martinsville, Va., where he served as president of the local alumni chapter. But that's just one of the many ways he remains involved with Virginia Tech.
"Like many other people, I volunteer my time because it is a way to give back a portion of what I received," says Reynolds. "So many individuals are responsible for my successes that it is only right that I devote a portion of my time and energy to giving with the same spirit and hope in which others volunteered their time to help me. What I also find is that the more I give to help others, the more I learn. I learn a great deal about other people and organizations but, most of all, I learn that my true happiness is found in helping make a difference in the lives of others."
Reynolds, who received a Virginia Tech Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 2008, is past president of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association and a member of the R.B. Pamplin College of Business Advisory Council, the Virginia Tech Multicultural Alumni Advisory Board, the German Club Alumni Foundation Board, and Hokies for Higher Education.
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ERIC H. FRAZIER '00
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Eric Frazier (crop and soils environmental science '00) is the superintendent of golf and grounds at Willow Oaks Country Club and lives in Midlothian, Va. "I enjoy the opportunity that the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Alumni Organization gives me to stay involved with the university, my fellow CALS graduates, and the turfgrass industry," says Frazier, who concentrated in turfgrass management. "It's an added bonus to be able to share with others the great experiences I had while I was at Virginia Tech and to give a bit of my time back to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the university."
Frazier has served as the CALS alumni organization board president for the past four years, co-chaired the CALS award golf tournament, and was a member of the Turf Club and the Agronomy Club while at Tech.
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JIM HATCH '72
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Jim Hatch (M.S. accounting '72), who retired from Wachovia Corporation as its corporate controller, resides in White Stone, Va. Of his service to Virginia Tech, he says that he is simply thankful to be able to give back to the university. "For me, giving back is my way to pay a dividend back to Virginia Tech for what it has given me. This includes volunteer service as well as my bequest and direct contributions. I owe much of what I have accomplished to my Virginia Tech education."
His service has included working closely with the development staff of the Pamplin College of Business. "I have helped to organize development initiatives, visited prospects, and attended receptions in Richmond and Northern Virginia. I have also made a major gift bequest to the Pamplin College of Business that will fund professorships, fellowships, and scholarships in the college." Hatch's support has extended to funding events that host fellow Pamplin alumni at bowl game receptions.
Hatch currently serves as a member of several university organizations, including the board of directors of the Virginia Tech Foundation, the Pamplin Advisory Council, the R.B. Pamplin Society, the Department of Accounting and Information Systems Advisory Board, the Ut Prosim Society, and the Legacy Society. Additionally, Hatch remains committed to the university's future, as shown by his involvement as a member of the National Campaign Steering Committee for The Campaign for Virginia Tech: Invent the Future, chair of the Pamplin College of Business Campaign Steering Committee, and a member of the host committee for the Hampton Roads regional campaign.
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