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Ford Earns Hubbell Award For Decades of Volunteerism

James A. Ford was presented with the F. Wiley Hubbell Award for outstanding volunteer service at the United Way of Roanoke Valley annual meeting on January 10.

In a moving presentation by a son and grandchild of the late Hubbell, Ford was lauded for United Way leadership and service that spans five decades. Since terms as board president and campaign chair in the 1960’s Ford has shared his expertise as a financial planner to nurture a United Way planned giving program that helped establish an endowment fund, which now provides investment income to support the United Way mission of improving lives to strengthen our community.

Re-elected to the United Way board in 2004, Ford currently chairs the Planned Giving Committee and a new Children and Youth Vision Council. This group is charged with reviewing United Way funding priorities and community needs addressed by about 15 United Way partner agency programs for early childhood care and youth after-school programs. “He recognizes that we young people are a great asset to be nurtured and developed,” said Jennifer Hubbell, a high school student at Roanoke Catholic School in announcing Ford’s award.

Ford also served on many Campaign Cabinets to represent business interests during United Way annual community fund-raising campaigns. He recently retired from the Roanoke office of the Northwestern Mutual Financial network.

Also during the meeting, members and officers of the 2006 Board of Directors for United Way of Roanoke Valley were elected. Tom McKeon of the Roanoke Higher Education Center will serve as board chair and Kathy Stockburger of Kathy Stockburger Consulting was chosen as vice chair. She was re-elected to the board position of Community Impact Cabinet chair, as well.

Harold McLeod of Wachovia Bank was elected to serve as 2006 campaign chair, and Lee Wilhelm of JM Turner & Company is finance chair. Jim Hinson of BB&T Bank, outgoing board chair, becomes board development chair.

New board members include: Father Rene Castillo, Saint Gerard’s Catholic Church; Mike Greene, Norfolk Southern; Carla James-Collins, Roanoke Higher Education Center; Earl Reynolds, Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority; Surmy Rojas, journalist; Rolanda Russell, City of Roanoke; Linda Steele, nTelos; Marvin Thompson, Roanoke City Schools Superintendent; and Kerri Thornton, Carilion Health System.

Members elected to the executive committee, in addition to officers listed above, include: Ed Garner, Audit Committee chair; Lucy Walton, Marketing chair; Cheryl Hilton, Community Investment chair; Tom Bagby, Personnel Committee chair; Jim Ford, Planned Giving chair; and Rudy Austin, Policy Committee chair.

Chosen as Executive Committee At Large Membersare: Dana Ackley, Vic Gilchrist, Jean Glontz, John Heitz, Barry Henderson, Rev. Bill Lee, Melinda Payne, Ann Richardson and Danielle Yarber.

Awards of appreciation for board service were presented to retiring members Wendy Zomparelli, Ed Murphy, MD, Mike Dittrich, Beth Doughty, Marion Vaughn-Howard, Darlene Burcham, Mark Lawrence, and John McLeod.

United Way of Roanoke Valley serves residents of Roanoke, Salem, Vinton and Botetourt, Craig and Roanoke counties with a network of human care programs operated by 27 partner agencies. Its mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of people in our community.

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