BUIES CREEK – David P. Russ III (’69) was presented the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business’ Outstanding Alumni Award on Sept. 19 during the school’s annual convocation.
Students Rebekah Barker and Brandon Hudson received the Gore Center for Servant Leadership Awards, and Paul Clark (’86) was awarded the Young Alumni Award at the ceremony, held in Campbell University’s Scott Auditorium.
The award for Russ simply added another accolade to his long history of supporting his alma mater. Over the years, he has served as president of Campbell’s National Alumni Association, as a member of John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center and Barker-Lane Stadium capital campaign cabinets and a member of the Alumni Board of Directors, in addition to several other roles.
He has created three endowed scholarships and was instrumental in the creation of the D.P. Russ Jr. and Walter S. Jones Sr. Alumni Awards for Research Excellence and Teacher Excellence. His two sons are also Campbell grads.
His career as an entrepreneur made all he has done for Campbell possible. Russ is currently president of Russ Medical Supplies, and for the previous 22 years, he was president of Russ Vending and Coffee Company. He is also active in several community organizations in Wilmington, where he and his wife Linda live.
Russ credited his success to his experience at Campbell in receiving his award.
“When I began my various business adventures and endeavours, I’d frequently return to Campbell to seek advice from mentors like Dr. [Norman A.] Wiggins, former dean [Thomas] Falwell and others … too many to mention,” Russ said. “And over the years, I’ve continued to seek knowledge and experience. The real learning experience comes after you leave school.”
Russ challenged the nearly 150 students on hand who make up the School of Business’ Class of 2016 to ask themselves what their presence at Campbell has done for them, and in turn, what their presence has done for their school.
“Have you taken advantage of the opportunities presented to you?” he asked. “Have you formed relationships with the administration and faculty? You never know what doors they’ll open for you in the future. Remember, you get out of something what you put into it. The negative of this is if you do nothing, you can expect nothing in return.”
Business Dean Ben Hawkins said Russ and the morning’s other honorees were recognized for “turning the world upside-down.”
“They’ve given, they’ve served and they’ve done things that have been meaningful toward God’s work on this earth,” Hawkins said. “In doing so, they’ve left a true legacy at Campbell University and the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business.”
YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD – Paul N. Clark, CFP
Senior Trust Manager, Greater Charlotte
Paul Clark is a senior vice president and senior trust team manager for Wells Fargo.
In this role, Clark oversees the delivery and overall execution of the Trust Services in the greater Charlotte market. This includes investment management, financial planning, trust and charitable services, private banking, estate planning and insurance.
He began his career in Winston-Salem with Wachovia in the personal trust training program. He served as a trust officer in Winston-Salem before transitioning into a leadership role in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1999. Clark relocated to Charlotte in 2002 to manage the Trust offices for the greater Charlotte market.
Today, Clark is a member of the Charlotte Estate Planning Council. He also serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business at Campbell University and is a board member of the Trust Education Foundation.
Mr. Clark earned a B.B.A. in Trust Management from Campbell University in 1986 and a Master in Business Administration from Berry College. He holds the designation of Certified Financial Planner.
SERVANT LEADERSHIP AWARD – Rebekah Barker
Fifth year, Trust 3/2
Rebekah Barker is a fifth-year 3/2 student in Campbell’s Trust & Wealth Management program.
Growing up in Harnett County and attending church at Buies Creek First Baptist as a child, she was already familiar with Campbell when she arrived in 2008. The last two summers, Barker worked as a Wealth Management intern for U.S. Trust in the High Net Worth department in Boston in the summer of 2011 and Dallas in the summer of 2012.
In addition to her trust work experience, she has worked in the Admissions Office as a student intern for the last four years. She is an active member of the Campbell University Choir, the Campbell Voices and Baptist Student Union. Other activities include writing for the Campbell Times, playing in her church handbell choir and participating as a member of the Gilbert T. Stephenson Trust Club.
During her first several years at Campbell, she was involved with Buies Creek First Baptist’s children ministry. She has also served as a student mentor in the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business since her sophomore year at Campbell, working with freshmen, transfer and prospective students.
Most recently, she helped coordinate multiple soccer clinics between CU Men’s Club Soccer and Kicking4Hunger, a local non-profit dedicated to teaching youth about soccer while simultaneously raising food donations for the surrounding community. Through the two K4H clinics held last year, more than 620 pounds of food was collected and donated to the Harnett County Food Pantry.
Currently, she is scheduling fall and spring clinics for the upcoming year and hopes to continue working with Kicking4Hunger across the state of North Carolina.
SERVANT LEADERSHIP AWARD – Brandon Hudson
Senior, Trust 3/2
He came to Campbell University from Stedman and attended Cape Fear High School. He currently works at the family business, Hudson Bay Seafood, during the summer and on the weekends and days off from school.
Last summer, he interned with Wells Fargo Wealth Management in the Winston-Salem Trust Center with its Philanthropic Services department.
During his time at Campbell, Hudson has been active in several parts of campus life. Going into his third year, he has served as a mentor for the Business School’s BADM-100 class, working with small groups of incoming freshmen and transfer students into the Business School. He has been involved with the Student Government Association since his sophomore year, serving as a sophomore class representative, Dining Service chairman, and Elections vice chairman from 2010-2011; executive treasurer and Finance Committee chairman from 2011-2012, and he is currently serving as the Student Body executive president for this school year.
He also serves as the president of the Phi Beta Lambda Business Club after serving as the club’s vice president and IOC representative.
Story by Billy Liggett