November 2, 2005

Linda U. Hadley, who recently guided Columbus State Universitys business college into the most elite grouping of business schools in the country, is CSUs T.Y. Whitley Distinguished Alumnus Award honoree for 2005.

CSU presented the award, the highest honor designated for its graduates, during its 34th annual Presidents Recognition Banquet Tuesday in the Cunningham Center. Hadley, as the honoree, is recognized as having distinguished herself professionally and personally, and through community service.

As CSUs Bill Heard Professor of Finance and dean of the D. Abbott Turner College of Business, Hadley directed university efforts in achieving accreditation in 2004 by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business . Just 27 percent of U.S. business schools hold this certification.

Recently nominated to serve on the Columbus Library Board, Hadley also serves as a Brookstone School trustee and as a director for Metro Columbus YMCA, the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce and the Pastoral Institute for which she also serves as treasurer.

A Columbus native and Brookstone School graduate, Hadley joined the CSU business faculty in 1992 following 10 years working in banking and securities. She was a financial consultant for Merrill Lynch, Pierce Fenner & Smith and a trust officer and portfolio manager for First Union National Bank in Columbus.

Hadley holds a 1980 CSU masters degree in business administration. She also also holds an Auburn University doctorate in financial economics and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Mount Holyoke College , She and her husband, Dr. Isaac Hadley, have two children.

The Whitley Award is named in honor of CSUs first president, Thomas Y. Whitley.

CSU also presented Honorary Alumni and Alumni Service Awards as part of the President’s Recognition Banquet:

HONORARY ALUMNI

• Dr. Champ L. Baker, who specializes in arthroscopic surgery and sports medicine with the Hughston Orthopedic Clinic, has supported CSU athletics the past 18 years, including 15 years as the team physician for all sports programs. As immediate past chairman of the CSU Foundation, he was instrumental in CSUs recently concluded Investment in People capital campaign. As part of the campaign, he established the Hiie Baker Nursing Scholarship endowment, named in honor of his mother.
• George C. Woodruff Jr., chair of the board of the Woodruff-Brown Company and a director of CB&T Bancshares.
• Janice W. Woodruff, benefactor of CSUs Schwob School of Music, a member of the Patrons of Music Steering Committee and wife of George Woodruff Jr.

   

The Woodruffs are longtime supporters of CSUs music school. Along with business associate Otis Scarborough, they established the Woodruff Awards -- scholarships that attract top music students worldwide to CSU. George Woodruff also serves on the CSU Foundation Board of Trustees and Janice Woodruff serves on the Youth Orchestra of Greater Columbus board, and she has co-chaired the Orpheus Ball.

ALUMNI SERVICE

• Janet W. Davis , president and CEO of TIC Federal Credit Union, has served as an CSU Alumni Board director since being elected to the position in June 2002. She also serves on the CSU Athletic Fund Board and has served on the following CSU alumni committees: scholarships, golf tournament and art auction.
• Mark Holladay , executive vice president and chief credit officer of Synovus, is a CSU Tower Society member and served as the 2004-05 chair of the Annual Fund steering committee. He also has served as a CSU Day volunteer and as a volunteer for the recently concluded capital campaign.