Volunteer

Meet Our Alumni

• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2546-bailey-williams"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,718,721/6008_bailey.rev.1551226795.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,718,721/6008_bailey.rev.1551226795.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,718,721/6008_bailey.rev.1551226795.jpg" alt="Bailey Williams, E&H Class of 2018, talking with Lamarr Alexander at Bristol's Rhythm & Roots in 2017." width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,718,721/6008_bailey.rev.1551226795.jpg 2x" data-max-w="718" data-max-h="721" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2546-bailey-williams"><p> Bailey Williams: Class of ’18, and already landed her dream job.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><div> Bailey Williams is a staff assistant for Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. She started the work in 2019 after a short-term stint as an intern for Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey.</div><div><br/> Her responsibilities in the Washington D.C. office will include answering calls from Virginians across the state, running the front office, and training new interns. Bailey says she’s especially looking forward to “working for a state she loves, a public servant she admires, and an institution that she has dreamed of being a part of for years.”<br/><br/> A Political and International Studies major at Emory & Henry, Bailey’s role in research for a class project in her Women and Gender Studies Class led to a sea of change on the E&H campus. She and classmates identify an alarming lack of attention to women and women’s stories on campus, and their studies and interviews led to a report that led to a new building on campus being named for Gov. Patrick Henry’s famous sister, Elizabeth Henry Campbell Russell (she was a champion for Methodism in this region).<br/><br/> Now she’s ready to take her lessons learned on campus to a bigger stage. “This job is a dream come true. Emory & Henry College is where I discovered my passion for public service and learned the skills I needed to make it a reality. I can’t wait to be answering your calls and I hope to represent the Political Science Department and the College well.”</div></div><a href="/live/profiles/2546-bailey-williams" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2707-meg-retinger"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,320,320/6405_meg_retinger.rev.1558721713.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,320,320/6405_meg_retinger.rev.1558721713.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,320,320/6405_meg_retinger.rev.1558721713.jpg" alt="E&H alumni John and Meg Hathaway Retinger at the beach." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="320" data-max-h="320" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2707-meg-retinger"><p> She’s number 1 in the number 2 business: Meg Retinger is COO of Bio Pet Laboratories in Knoxville.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Meg Hathaway Retinger graduated from Emory & Henry in 1976 with a plan to teach elementary school. But when she was faced with a crowded field of educators, and too few job openings, she headed in a different direction.</p><p> She began by doing computer work in an industry that created “bug zappers” and electric cattle fencing. Eventually she segued into a company that did testing to see if cattle had been properly inseminated for breeding. And now….well…now she finds herself elbow deep in dog poop.</p><p> Meg is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for <a href="http://www.biopetlabs.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bio Pet Laboratories</a> in Knoxville. The main component of their business is a program called PooPrints®; evaluating DNA in dog poop so that apartment complexes know which tenants are not picking up after their pets. Dog owners swab the cheeks of their dogs, and the apartment landlords send the swabs to Bio Pet to be registered in a database –DNA World Pet Registry. If a pile of poop is found where it shouldn’t be, it can be collected and sent to Bio Pet to be matched up with the dog owner – or, as Meg calls that person, “The Poopetrator.”</p><p> Bio Pet is now serving clients all over the U.S., Canada, and Europe. They receive as many as 2000 swabs a day, and receive 200 poop samples a day.</p><p> Meg says the two biggest issues apartment complexes deal with are parking and dog waste. And in addition to being unsightly, it is also a huge environmental issue as it affects the water runoff and eventually the regional watersheds. “People think that dog poop is just fertilizer, but because of what dogs eat, their poop has more bacteria than human waste.”</p><p> She says her E&H education taught her how to learn – and instilled a desire to learn. So when her initial career plans got sidetracked, she was flexible and found a new way to apply her degree.</p><p> In short, Meg knows her poop.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2707-meg-retinger" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1840-adam-taylor"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/535,58,1256,781/3315_Adam_Taylor.rev.1519072284.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/535,58,1256,781/3315_Adam_Taylor.rev.1519072284.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/535,58,1256,781/3315_Adam_Taylor.rev.1519072284.jpg" alt="Adam Taylor" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/535,58,1256,781/3315_Adam_Taylor.rev.1519072284.jpg 2x" data-max-w="721" data-max-h="723" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1840-adam-taylor"><p> Adam Taylor is director of the Catawba Sustainability Center.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Adam Taylor is the manager of the <a href="http://vtrc.vt.edu/Catawba_Sustainability_Center0.html">Catawba Sustainability Center</a>, which is situated on a 377-acre property in the Catawba Valley and is devoted to environmental education activities.</p><p> The center is a collaboration between Outreach and International Affairs, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and Roanoke County.</p><p> Adam previously worked at the West Virginia Farmers Market Association, a statewide organization in West Virginia, where he worked to support and grow West Virginia’s local food economy through project development and management, stakeholder outreach, and policy change.</p><p> Adam also carried out a two-year assignment with the Peace Corps as a forestry Extension agent in Zambia and a yearlong internship on the 100-plus-acre organic farm owned by Dr. Stephen Hopp, Environmental Studies instructor at Emory & Henry, and author Barbara Kingsolver. The farm is highlighted in the book <strong><em>Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life.</em></strong></p><p> A native of Tazewell, Virginia, Taylor earned his bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Emory & Henry College in 2008 and a master’s degree in agriculture from Oklahoma State in 2014.</p><p> One of the projects that Taylor oversees at the Catawba Sustainability Center is a wetlands restoration project, which received a $15,000 grant from the Dominion Foundation.</p><p> The center, in collaboration with Virginia Tech and <a href="http://www.wetlandrestorationandtraining.com/">Wetland Restoration and Training</a>, plans to do three things:</p><ul><li>restore at least three wetlands in an effort to enhance a biologically diverse habitat for sensitive and endangered plant and animal species </li><li>improve water quality of Catawba Creek </li><li>train professionals in wetland design and restoration using techniques that can be replicated to restore wetlands in diverse environments. </li></ul></div><a href="/live/profiles/1840-adam-taylor" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2647-jessica-richardson"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg" alt="Jessica Richardson, E&H Class of 2017, at the Olympic Training Center." width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1638" data-max-h="1638" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2647-jessica-richardson"><p> Jessica Richardson is a data analyst for the U.S. Olympic Committee.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> It’s a match made in heaven.</p><p> Outstanding E&H athlete and mathematics major Jessica Richardson is a data analyst for the United States Olympic Committee. It’s like the job was made for her interests, talents, and academic expertise.</p><p> Part of the E&H honors academic program, Jessica also excelled as a student athlete at Emory & Henry. She was a four time All-ODAC First Team honoree, winning the 100 yard freestyle her sophomore year. She currently holds two individual E&H records as well as being a part of four relay records and was the league’s Bonnie Kestner Sportsmanship Award recipient her sophomore year. </p><p> The Florida native is adjusting well to life in Colorado. “The new community of Colorado has been very welcoming. I absolutely love being back in the mountains, it reminds me a lot of my time at Emory. The culture and lifestyle of Colorado Springs is very active and I love that there is no end to the outdoor activities one can participate in (Pro tip: don’t underestimate the Manitou Incline - if you haven’t heard of it you should look it up!).”</p><p> She is grateful for the education she got at E&H and looks back now at the experiences and opportunities provided with gratitude for the preparation.  </p><p> “I will forever be thankful for my time at E&H. From the caring and passionate teachers whose guidance and lessons both in and out of the classroom helped me discover my passions, to the athletic department who not only supported me in the pool but provided me with opportunities to work in a sports environment, to the honors program that pushed me past my comfort zone as well as provided me with great opportunities including my first internship. I also am very appreciative of my friends and teammates who always supported and believed in me, helping me become the person I am today. ”</p><p> Her favorite thing about the new job is having a hand in helping Team USA and all of its athletes. “The projects I am working on everyday are challenging but rewarding in every way. My entire team is so welcoming and collaborative as we are all working to the same common goal, to support our athletes in pursuit of their dreams.”</p><p> When asked what she hopes to one day be doing, she replies: “Exactly this. This is way more than I ever imagined I would be able to achieve and right now I am living my dream.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2647-jessica-richardson" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1931-bill-shanks"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,10,255,265/3462_10-16_Myanmar.rev.1520433164.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,10,255,265/3462_10-16_Myanmar.rev.1520433164.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,10,255,265/3462_10-16_Myanmar.rev.1520433164.jpg" alt="Bill Shanks, E&H '67, in Myanmar." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="255" data-max-h="255" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1931-bill-shanks"><p> Bill Shanks is a retired educator, but he will never retire from community leadership.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p>  </p><p>           “Emory & Henry College has always been a significant dimension of my life. Growing up in the Methodist community in the Holston Conference in Greeneville, Tennessee, I was aware of the College from an early age.  My sister, Anne, graduated from there in 1960, and I was excited to follow her in 1963”.   </p><p>           Bill is a 1967 graduate of Emory & Henry College and is now retired after more than 40 years of service to the city of Bristol Virginia. He served for 33 years in the Bristol Virginia Public Schools, beginning as a junior high mathematics instructor, then elementary and junior high school principal, Director of Instruction, Assistant Superintendent, and Acting Superintendent.  After retirement from the school division, he became Assistant City Manager for Special Projects for the City of Bristol Virginia, retiring for good in 2007.   He holds a Master of Arts in Educational Administration and Supervision from East Tennessee State University.</p><p>           Bill has served on numerous boards and committees during his career, some of which are: Bristol Virginia-Tennessee Library Board (Chair) and Library Foundation Board (Chair), Board of Directors of Boys and Girls Club of Bristol, and Club Honors Board, Board of Directors of Bristol Virginia Department of Social  Services, Board of Directors of River’s Way Outdoor Adventure Camp (Chair) Treasurer of Boy Scouts of America Troop 8, State Street United Methodist Church, Administrative Board of Trinity United Methodist Church,  Board of Directors of Bristol Virginia School System Credit Union (Chair).  He presently serves on the Board of Directors for the Emory & Henry College Alumni Association.</p><p>           Bill and his wife, Mary Jo have two children and two grandchildren.</p><p>           “I value and appreciate my experiences at Emory, both social and academic. The lifelong friends I have made are a gift, the academic program provided me with the necessary foundation for my career, and the college memories are priceless. I am fortunate to live in close proximity to the College so I can continue to be involved. “</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1931-bill-shanks" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1228-auburn-barrett"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,7,265,272/1709_auburn_barrett.rev.1513720110.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,7,265,272/1709_auburn_barrett.rev.1513720110.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,7,265,272/1709_auburn_barrett.rev.1513720110.jpg" alt="Auburn Barrett from Emory & Henry College." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="265" data-max-h="265" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1228-auburn-barrett"></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><div> Auburn was an Athletic Training student at Emory & Henry, and is currently serving as an athletic trainer hired by a hospital. She is also contracted out to work sporting events at a local middle school. She worked as a Physical Therapy Tech during the summer after she graduated from college.</div><div></div><div></div></div><a href="/live/profiles/1228-auburn-barrett" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1863-beau-blevins"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,2100/3381_BeauPhoto14_4.rev.1519761977.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,2100/3381_BeauPhoto14_4.rev.1519761977.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,2100/3381_BeauPhoto14_4.rev.1519761977.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,2100/3381_BeauPhoto14_4.rev.1519761977.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,2100/3381_BeauPhoto14_4.rev.1519761977.jpg" alt="Beau Blevins, Emory & Henry Class of 2005" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,2100/3381_BeauPhoto14_4.rev.1519761977.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,2100/3381_BeauPhoto14_4.rev.1519761977.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1500" data-max-h="2100" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1863-beau-blevins"><p> Beau Blevins is the Director of Government Consulting for the Virginia Local Government Finance Corporation.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Beau serves as Director of Government Consulting for the Virginia Local Government Finance Corporation.  In this capacity, he advises localities on finance-related matters and leads business development and government relations efforts.  Beau previously served as the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) for six years, where his chief duties included local government relations and advocacy in the areas of tax and finance.  In addition, he served as a Senior Budget Advisor at the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget under the Kaine and McDonnell gubernatorial administrations.   </p><p> Beau most recently served on Governor Ralph Northam’s transition team for finance and tax policy. In 2013, he was appointed by Governor Terry McAuliffe to serve on the Board of Visitors to George Washington’s Mount Vernon, a post he still holds today. Beau is a graduate of the <em>LEAD VIRGINIA </em>program.  He holds a Master’s in Public Administration from George Mason University and a B.A. in Political Science from Emory & Henry College.</p><p> A 2005 graduate, Beau credits Emory & Henry for teaching him the importance of public service and relationship building. More importantly, E&H is where he established many lifelong friendships.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1863-beau-blevins" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1434-gary-reedy"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,280,279/2269_Gary_Reedy.rev.1516131489.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,280,279/2269_Gary_Reedy.rev.1516131489.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,280,279/2269_Gary_Reedy.rev.1516131489.jpg" alt="Gary Reedy, E&H '78" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="280" data-max-h="279" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1434-gary-reedy"><p> Gary Reedy is CEO for American Cancer Society.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Gary M. Reedy is the Chief Executive Officer for the American Cancer Society. He took the position in April 2015, but he served as a volunteer for many years before that.</p><p>  </p><p> As a volunteer leader, Reedy is credited with transforming the organization into one able to better deliver on its lifesaving mission. He is a past chair of the Society’s volunteer Board of Directors and past chair of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network^SM (ACS CAN) Board. He also led the ACS Board’s advisory committee on transformation, a pivotal role for the organization’s recent restructuring work. He first joined the Society in 2000 as a member of the Board of Trustees of the former American Cancer Society Foundation. In recognition of his service, Reedy was elected as an Honorary Life Member of the Society in 2014.</p><p> Prior to taking the helm of the Society, Reedy had a distinguished 37-year career as a health care business and advocacy leader, most recently as the worldwide vice president of government affairs and policy, at Johnson & Johnson, where he spearheaded initiatives to influence global health policy. He previously devoted more than 25 years of his career to the business side of the industry, including senior leadership positions with SmithKline Beecham, Centocor, and Johnson & Johnson. During his tenure at Johnson & Johnson, Reedy served as president of Ortho Biotech, a Johnson & Johnson company with annual revenues of more than $3 billion.</p><p> Reedy’s nonprofit experience includes current board appointments for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund, the National Health Council, Research America, and Emory & Henry College. He is an active member of the Atlanta Rotary Club, previously served on the C-Change board of directors, and was a charter member of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer.</p><p> As the Society’s top staff executive, Reedy leads the strategic direction and overall management of the organization, with 2  million volunteers, 6,000 staff, and 5 geographic regions. He works with the Society’s Board of Directors to establish the organization’s vision and drive revenue and impact to achieve its lifesaving mission.</p><p> Reedy also holds an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Arcadia University. He and his wife, Cindy (E&H ’80), live in Atlanta, Georgia, and are the proud parents of two adult daughters, Katie and Stephanie. </p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1434-gary-reedy" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/677-doug-dalton"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,640,640/272_11140356_10154000682162786_5533273719072550783_n.rev.1497276685.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,640,640/272_11140356_10154000682162786_5533273719072550783_n.rev.1497276685.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,640,640/272_11140356_10154000682162786_5533273719072550783_n.rev.1497276685.jpg" alt="" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="640" data-max-h="640" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/677-doug-dalton"><p> Doug Dalton (’94) is More Than Meets The Eye</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Ask anyone who follows Doug Dalton on social media and they’ll tell you that this guy knows how to have a good time. The Fairfax, Va., native is now a dyed-in-the-wool Californian, and photos of him wearing a cheetah suit and going to Burning Man, cocktail parties, and rock concerts might lead you to think he is just a playboy.</p><p> Think again!</p><p> He is also the owner of 9 very successful, very popular, very trendy bars in San Francisco, as well as 3 stores.</p><p> How — and why – does a former “dot com guy” end up as a bar entrepreneur? “I was working at Estee Lauder as the Chief Technology Officer living in San Francisco and New York City. New Yorkers would often speak poorly about San Francisco saying there was nothing interesting to do there. I wanted to contribute to San Francisco because I felt it was a wonderful town. San Francisco at the time was full of incredible restaurants and dive bars but nothing in between, so I ventured to make an elusive but not exclusive high-end bar experience on par with the New York nightlife scene.”</p><p> Doug and his partners venture into areas that some businesses are reluctant to consider (like the Tenderloin District) and his successes are reinvigorating long-ignored areas. “Our bars are bringing new life and other businesses to the area, helping to better them and make them more inviting.”</p><p> If you know a student who is interested in identifying a problem…and working for a solution…encourage him or her to look at Emory & Henry’s Ampersand project. Maybe they’ll grow up and be like Doug Dalton: an answer to community challenge.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/677-doug-dalton" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1747-art-scott"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,492,492/3154_Art_Scott.rev.1518207659.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,492,492/3154_Art_Scott.rev.1518207659.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,492,492/3154_Art_Scott.rev.1518207659.jpg" alt="Arthur Scott" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="492" data-max-h="492" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1747-art-scott"><p> Art Scott is with the National Association of Counties.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Arthur Scott serves as Associate Legislative Director for the National Association of Counties (NACo’s) lobbying on a broad range of issues including next generation telecommunications, technology, cyber security, agriculture and rural economic development. Arthur also serves as Political Outreach Manager for NACo developing and leveraging strategic partnerships to help address key county priorities in Congress and the Administration. Additionally, Arthur designed and managed NACo’s 2016 U.S. Presidential Election initiative “Counties Connect America.” Other responsibilities include staffing NACo’s Northeast Region Caucus and the National Association of County Intergovernmental Relations Officials (NACIRO).</p><p> Prior to NACo, Arthur served as Assistant to the Chief of Staff in the U.S. Senate. During his time in the Senate, Arthur managed all federal appointment processes including judicial nominations and coordinated political and civic outreach initiatives across the Commonwealth. Arthur also managed the grassroots outreach programs for congressional campaigns during the 2008, 2010 and 2012 election cycles. Taking a leave of absence from his position in the Senate, Arthur helped design and execute field programs to address the diverse geographic and demographic landscapes of Virginia. A native of rural Southwestern Virginia, he graduated from Emory & Henry College in 2007 with a B.A. in Geography and minor in Business Management. Before moving to Washington, D.C. in 2008, Arthur operated in several capacities within the economic development community in Southwest Virginia including an internship with Lenowisco, the regional planning district commission.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1747-art-scott" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/155-"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,450,490/27_abe1975e59116cf763b1821b22668003_f74661.rev.1491319536.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,450,490/27_abe1975e59116cf763b1821b22668003_f74661.rev.1491319536.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,450,490/27_abe1975e59116cf763b1821b22668003_f74661.rev.1491319536.jpg" alt="Dr. Ken Noe poses with one of his Auburn grad students, Peter Thomas (E&H, '08). In addition to the flag of his home state in the bac..." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="450" data-max-h="490" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/155-"><p> Dr. Ken Noe ’79 Writing Book on the Weather’s Impact on the American Civil War</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> When Dr. Ken Noe (’79) was growing up in Elliston he remembers that weather played a huge role in the work done on his grandfather’s farm. “If rain was coming, we dropped everything else to put up hay.” He thinks this experience planted a seed in the back of his mind about the impactful influence of weather. Later, his interest in weather grew when he took a geography course at Emory & Henry with Dr. Ed Bingham.</p><p> But even he could never have predicted that he would now be writing a two-volume book on weather’s impact on the American Civil War.</p><p> Ken is the Draughon Professor of Southern History at Auburn University. He is the author or editor of seven books, and he has published scads of articles, essays and chapters about the Civil War. He is a decorated history professor serving at West Georgia College before heading to Auburn. He was a Pulitzer Prize entrant and won the 2003 Kentucky Governor’s award, the 2002 Peter Seaborg Book Award for Civil War Non-fiction, and the 1997 Tennessee History Book Award. He has won several teaching awards, has served as president of the Alabama Historical Association, and is serving on the Advisory Board of the Society of Civil War Historians. He has even been a consultant for the NBC series <em>Who Do You Think You Are? </em></p><p> But in all his prolific writing and research and publishing even he is surprised that his biggest and most industrious work to-date will be about weather.  “Meteorologists are still trying to work out why the weather during the Civil War was so unusual. They dealt with incredibly snowy and rainy winters and droughts in the summer that affected Southern food supplies. There were dust storms, flooded rivers, and only two hurricanes. It had a profound effect on many campaigns.”</p><p> His research on weather has already taken several years, and he still has a few years left before he publishes. And even he was amazed to realize just how much information he had accumulated. “Very little has been written about Civil War environmental history. It is only now becoming part of the conversation about Civil War history.”  </p><p> Ken says that even in a field of study like Civil War history where so many things have been written, there is still new area for research and a lot of topics that haven’t been covered.  He has grad students asking new questions about the role of religion, the prison industries during the war, the role of friendship, and one young man, who is an E&H grad, is looking into camp life.</p><p> Even though we have just passed the 150^th anniversary of the American Civil War, Ken points out that this conflict still has implications for current events; and he marvels that most conversations over the past 18 months have quickly moved from history to current topics like the Confederate flag, U.S. prisons, and race relations. He says his field has gotten so tangled with politics that there is a declining interest in Civil War history among the public. “But this event still has much to teach us. It was a great turning point in American History and opened up questions that are still being answered about equality of humankind, the status of women, states’ rights. I don’t know how we can answer all these questions unless we go back to the beginning.” He consistently stresses to his students the importance of going back to primary source information rather than depending on how the stories have been told and passed down.</p><p> Ken actually majored in education at Emory & Henry and still remembers panicking when he realized he didn’t want to be a junior high school teacher. “I had a lot of electives leftover and started taking history classes late in my college experience. I realized what I wanted to be was a historian and teach at a higher level.” A conversation with Patsi Trollinger (’72) reassured him that most alumni do not stick to work within their major. And a conversation with Dr. Gene Rasor in the history department led to a phone call which ended with Dr. Rasor telling Ken he had an interview with the history department at Virginia Tech.</p><p> The rest, as they say, is history.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/155-" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2595-mwenda-kazadi"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,399,398/6080_mwenda.rev.1553265890.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,399,398/6080_mwenda.rev.1553265890.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,399,398/6080_mwenda.rev.1553265890.jpg" alt="Mwenda Kazadi, E&H 2010, in his community in Liberia." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="399" data-max-h="398" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2595-mwenda-kazadi"><p> Mwenda Kazadi has taken his Bonner Scholars lessons into his career – and is committed to creating opportunities for his neighbors in Liberia.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><div class="row"><div class="col-sm-12"><h1 class="profiles-page-title">   </h1></div></div><div class="row"><div class="col-xxs-12 col-xs-8"><div class="profiles-page-intro"><p> Mwenda Kazadi (E&H ’10) is living full time in Liberia now, and he is making an impact. </p><p class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-p1"><span class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-s1">“Currently, I run my own boutique advisory firm in Liberia called Impact Advisory Services, which specializes in agricultural finance, digital finance and small medium business (sme) lending & investing.”</span></p><p class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-p1"><span class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-s1">Mwenda’s work is particularly important in an area where land resources are plenteous but money is not. “Liberia despite, possessing vast amounts of natural resources and an ideal climate for agricultural production, is one of the poorest countries in the world, which suffers from rampant poverty and food insecurity. Working with Liberian farmers and agribusinesses to improve their businesses, increase their incomes and increase the overall investments in Liberia’s agricultural sector; it has the potential to deliver an enormous positive impact to improve the Liberian economy and promote stability.”</span></p><p class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-p1"><span class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-s1">Does he like the work? “I love it! I wake up every day excited about the new opportunities and challenges that I will face when I go into the office. I am doing what I love.”</span></p><p class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-p1"><span class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-s1">Mwenda transferred to Emory & Henry from Northern Virginia Community College after he brought his sister (Joy Kazadi, E&H ’10) for her first week as a freshman. He was so taken with the people and the campus he applied that day to be a transfer. “I really enjoyed my time at E&H and I know that what I learned there through my business and international studies classes, extracurricular activities and from the Bonner Scholars Community Service Program, helped prepare me for the work that I do today.”</span></p><p class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-p1"><span class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-s1">He majored in business administration and minored in middle eastern international studies, and had a close relationship with a number of faculty members including Dr. Samir Saliba and Dr. Felicia Mitchell.  “We would grab meals together and I would spend time in their offices; at times discussing assignments & school work and other times we would just discuss current events and what I wanted to do upon graduation. They really went out of their way to make themselves available and I believe that those discussions helped to nurture my curiosity about how finance can positively impact the lives of individuals in developing and frontier economies.”</span></p><p class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-p1"><span class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-s1">Mwenda also learned some great lessons in community organizing as a student. He organized a group called Men of Color Alliance (MOCA) that focused on facilitating discussion and raising awareness on issues about race and gender. Mwenda is half Congolese and half Liberian. “It also provided men of color with the necessary support system for the unique issues that they at times face.” He says the group was well accepted and supported by the College administration.</span></p><p class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-p1"><span class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-s1">While Mwenda loves the work he is doing now, he also has his sights set on the future. “I plan to continue working in this field for a few years. However, in the near-term future I see myself launching a West African region-focused impact investment firm; which is an investment firm that seeks to invest in ventures that are not only profitable but have a significant positive impact on the communities they operate in.”</span></p></div><div class="profiles-page-body"><div class="profiles_field profiles_14 profiles_body_14"><h4 class="profiles_14_header profiles_body_14_header">   </h4><div class="profiles_content"></div></div></div></div></div></div><a href="/live/profiles/2595-mwenda-kazadi" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/841-pat-huber"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,500,700/743_huber.rev.1507060606.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,500,700/743_huber.rev.1507060606.jpg 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,500,700/743_huber.rev.1507060606.jpg" alt="Pat Bear Huber E&H '76" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="500" data-max-h="700" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/841-pat-huber"><p> Pat Bear Huber is the first female president of New River Community College.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Dr. Pat Huber is the president of New River Community College, in Dublin, Virginia, as of July 1, 2017.</p><p> Huber becomes the sixth person, and first woman, to serve as the college’s permanent president. Her hiring ended a process that began with a national search, which attracted more than 90 candidates.</p><p> “I’ve known Pat for a long time and have always been impressed with her remarkable passion and dedication for the people community colleges serve,” said DuBois. “Pat has dedicated her entire career to community college education, and I know that she is going to do a terrific job as New River’s president.”</p><p> Huber has worked in education for 41 years, and has worked at New River Community College since 1988 where she began as an adjunct English instructor. She began working at NRCC full time in 1992 as an assistant professor. From there, she rose through the ranks becoming an assistant division chair in 1999, a dean in 2005, and vice president for instruction and student services in 2007 – the position she holds today. Huber also served as the interim vice president for academic and student services at Wytheville Community College during the spring and summer of 2003.</p><p> Huber earned a doctorate in community college leadership from Old Dominion University; a master’s degree from West Virginia University in Morgantown; a bachelor’s degree from Emory & Henry College in Emory, VA; and an associate degree from Wytheville Community College.</p><p> “The quality of the candidates this process produced made this decision a tough one,” said Steve Harvey, chair of the New River Community College local board. “That said, Dr. Huber has demonstrated outstanding leadership at NRCC in the past. She is focused on curriculum, certifications and credentialing, student success, and intentional engagement in the education of students. She is committed to outreach to the local businesses, school systems, and higher education facilities within the five localities serviced by NRCC. Under Dr. Huber’s guidance, NRCC will continue to be an affordable educational option to help provide the local economy an educated workforce. The board will work closely with her during her transition, and I encourage the local stakeholders to be engaged in the process.”</p><p> Huber succeeded Dr. Jack Lewis, who retired last year after serving NRCC for 42 years, including 17 as college president. Longtime Virginia community college leader, Dr. Charlie White, is currently serving at the college’s interim president.</p><p> New River Community College, which opened in 1969, is a comprehensive community college located in Virginia’s New River Valley, serving an estimated 4,500 students in the counties of Montgomery, Floyd, Pulaski and Giles and the city of Radford.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/841-pat-huber" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2554-jess-daddio"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/417,0,1781,1365/6047_53503806_306647530022179_877872142568390656_n.rev.1552061143.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/417,0,1781,1365/6047_53503806_306647530022179_877872142568390656_n.rev.1552061143.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/417,0,1781,1365/6047_53503806_306647530022179_877872142568390656_n.rev.1552061143.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/417,0,1781,1365/6047_53503806_306647530022179_877872142568390656_n.rev.1552061143.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/417,0,1781,1365/6047_53503806_306647530022179_877872142568390656_n.rev.1552061143.jpg" alt="Jess Daddio, E&H Class of 2013" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/417,0,1781,1365/6047_53503806_306647530022179_877872142568390656_n.rev.1552061143.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/417,0,1781,1365/6047_53503806_306647530022179_877872142568390656_n.rev.1552061143.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1364" data-max-h="1365" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2554-jess-daddio"><p> Jess Daddio, E&H ’13 – always working, but she’s not likely to be found in an office.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p><a href="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/gid/68/width/1000/6048_54049565_992585280938743_4455543676382216192_n.jpg" class="lw_preview_image"><picture class="lw_image lw_image6048 lw_align_left lw_column_width_full"><source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/500/height/334/6048_54049565_992585280938743_4455543676382216192_n.rev.1552061210.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/500/height/334/6048_54049565_992585280938743_4455543676382216192_n.rev.1552061210.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 500px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/500/height/334/6048_54049565_992585280938743_4455543676382216192_n.rev.1552061210.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/500/height/334/6048_54049565_992585280938743_4455543676382216192_n.rev.1552061210.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 800px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/800/height/534/6048_54049565_992585280938743_4455543676382216192_n.rev.1552061210.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(max-width: 800px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/800/height/534/6048_54049565_992585280938743_4455543676382216192_n.rev.1552061210.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(min-width: 801px)" type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/1000/height/667/6048_54049565_992585280938743_4455543676382216192_n.rev.1552061210.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source media="(min-width: 801px)" type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/1000/height/667/6048_54049565_992585280938743_4455543676382216192_n.rev.1552061210.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img width="1000" height="667" alt="Jess Daddio, E&H Class of 2013." src="/live/image/gid/68/width/1000/height/667/6048_54049565_992585280938743_4455543676382216192_n.rev.1552061210.jpg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/1000/height/667/6048_54049565_992585280938743_4455543676382216192_n.rev.1552061210.jpg 2x" data-max-w="2048" data-max-h="1365" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a>Jess Daddio is a freelance photographer, videographer, and journalist.</p><p> She is the former travel editor for Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. She is a regular contributor to the REI Co-op Journal, and her articles have appeared in Outdoor Retailer Magazine, Elevation Outdoors Magazine, and the Matador Network.</p><p> Some of her most recent commercial clients include IMBA Trail Solutions, Farm to Feet, Harrisonburg Tourism, and Sigora Solar.</p><p> Jess says her mentors at Emory & Henry prepared her for the work she is doing today. “My teachers at E&H taught me much more than their syllabi suggested. Through their unconditional support and guidance, I learned that it’s not enough to dream big. You have to put in the hard work, you have to flounder, you have to fail, and still you have to show up day in and day out in order to make that dream become reality. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”</p><p> Jess is a 2013 graduate of E&H. When she’s not behind the camera, she can usually be found playing in the woods by bike or by foot. You can learn more about her at <a href="https://www.jessdaddio.com/?fbclid=IwAR32MgacNSYJLwEFhparqrr0UmbfUBMCB07PSKSbYDh8K2JvLu1XKAqa_oY" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-lynx-mode="hover" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jessdaddio.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR32MgacNSYJLwEFhparqrr0UmbfUBMCB07PSKSbYDh8K2JvLu1XKAqa_oY&h=AT25wmqp3vyjyzjMKWiiUY_x5n5o_dIscoK7qbMnii3tDcUkd1LzWh5u-ZQIJ3q0NDC7J17kaNROxXR3WGcTIM0fFbGXzcz7pfo7smkI2PBdEeylIgY2vczfrAEqJ7CDaa0">https://www.jessdaddio.com/</a>. </p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2554-jess-daddio" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1744-melvin-dillon"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/346,345,1076,1074/3151_dillon.rev.1518206768.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/346,345,1076,1074/3151_dillon.rev.1518206768.jpg 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/346,345,1076,1074/3151_dillon.rev.1518206768.jpg" alt="Melvin Dillon" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/346,345,1076,1074/3151_dillon.rev.1518206768.jpg 2x" data-max-w="730" data-max-h="729" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1744-melvin-dillon"><p> Melvin Dillon is part of the Vinyl Revival</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Melvin Dillon (E&H ’06) is a musician himself, and used to play at venues in the Emory area while a student to make a little extra money. But as he got to know the industry, there were things that bothered him about the business of music. Says Melvin, “Soul Step Records is known because of our unwillingness to do business that serves our bottom line. We do everything in service to our artists. I think that’s why we’ve grown in such a short time.”</p><p> According to the Soul Step Records website, Melvin’s goal was simple; he wanted to give artists the ability to make vinyl records (so that music can be “listened to the way music should be…”). The thing that sets him apart from other music companies is that Soul Step pays all the upfront costs, and then profits are split evenly between the company and the band. “Our number one goal with each release is to have enough to fund another record. I have yet to take a dime from sales; every profit for Soul Step goes back into building up for another release. …Our relationship with our artists is paramount to us.”</p><p> And his good intentions are resulting in good business.</p><p> One of his current artist/clients is starring in <em>Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway</em>, and most of the music he is recording is currently featured in TV and film. Another client is Holy Ghost Tent Revival, and he says getting to know them years ago, and seeing the struggles they had with traditional means of recording, served as much of the inspiration for his company.</p><p> Because he loves the artist aspect of the music business it allows him some great opportunities, including the fact that with each release they do 100 vinyl records in a special color – while the rest of the run is in the traditional black vinyl.  One album garnered particularly interesting success with the cover art. “When I was releasing my third album, Matt Duncan’s <em>Soft Times</em> I saw the artwork that was done by Robert Beatty. It was this psych-tarot card freaky artwork. Truly beautiful …After seeing the tarot card artwork - I went to the pressing plant I was using and said I wanted to put a tarot card INSIDE the record. After much trial and error, and even going as far as accidentally setting a pressing machine on fire, we were able to conjure a way to make this happen. The results were stunning and we had mentions from tons of music and vinyl publications. These 100 records we made for that project  will pop up on eBay  – typically going over a hundred dollars. Crazy.”</p><p>  </p><p> Melvin says his time at E&H helped prepare him for a business model that breaks the mold. “The big keyword is service. It’s hard to be a student of Emory and not have service of others instilled into you. The heart of this company is service. I think that Emory helps you understand the value in giving back. Many of my fellow alumni who are in position to do so find some way to give back. It’s something that I’m proud of. I’ve been very fortunate to find a job with a phenomenal company that puts me in the position to do this. I feel that it’s my duty to find a way to give back. I’m happy that Soul Step fills that need.”</p><p>  </p><p> Melvin spends only part of his week with Soul Step, and is also a manager for Apple Computer.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1744-melvin-dillon" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>