Darlington School: Private Boarding School in Georgia Darlington recognizes Glenn ('60) and Williams ('54) as Distinguished Alumni
Darlington School: Private Boarding School in Rome, GA
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Darlington recognizes Glenn (’60) and Williams (’54) as Distinguished Alumni

October 23, 2015 | 627 views

As Darlington kicks off its Alumni Weekend celebration today, the Alumni Office is pleased to announce that Robert J. Glenn (’60) and the late Neal L. Williams (’54) are the recipients of the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus Awards.

"Today’s service is special because we are gathered as representatives of the past, present and future of Darlington," said Head of School Brent Bell. "Today, we celebrate the amazing vision of our founders and the alumni of this school who have paved the way, through their affection and generosity, to help us lead lives dedicated to wisdom, service, and honor."

The Distinguished Alumnus Awards were presented by Chair of the Board of Trustees Linda (Grizzard) Owens ('79).

"On behalf of Darlington, it gives me great honor to introduce our award recipients for 2015," she said. "These are graduates who exemplify our school motto: Wisdom more than Knowledge; Service Beyond Self; Honor above Everything."

Bob Glenn (’60) currently serves as a director at Raymond James Inc. Prior to its acquisition by Raymond James in 2011, he was executive managing director of equity capital markets at Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc. and served as a member of the Executive Committee.

"I'm obviously very, very honored and pleased to receive this award," Glenn said. "I don't really quite know that I deserve it."

As a boarding student at Darlington, Glenn was elected vice president of his senior class. He also served as secretary of the “D” Club and as a proctor in the dorms. He played football and ran track.  

After earning his B.S. from Auburn University, Glenn started his career at Blythe & Co. in 1969. Three years later, he began working at The Robinson-Humphrey Co. (now SunTrust Robinson-Humphrey), where he would spend the next 32 years. He worked his way up to vice chairman, serving as a member of the Executive Committee and managing its corporate syndicate origination and execution efforts, until he left to pursue the opportunity at Morgan Keegan in 2004.

"I want the students, particularly, to understand that this is a super, super, super school, where you are going to learn a lot of stuff going forward," Glenn said. "School, college particularly, is going to get much, much harder, and Darlington is going to prepare you."

Active in both industry and civic organizations, Glenn served as a member of and committee chair for the Securities Industry Association and the National Association of Securities Dealers; a member of the Board of Directors for Goodwill Industries of Atlanta and JGA Corp.; a Trustee Emeritus of The Lovett School; and a member of Emory University’s Board of Visitors. Additionally, he was involved with the Leadership Georgia Foundation Inc. and served as a member of the vestry and the Investment Committee at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

At Darlington, Glenn is a Life Trustee and the current chair of the school’s Investment Committee. He and his brothers, Jack, Alston ('57), and Lewis ('64), were instrumental in establishing the Jack and Anne Glenn Teaching and Learning Center at Darlington's Upper School. Glenn has also served on the Annual Fund Board and is a member of both the J.J. Darlington Society and the J. Daniel Hanks (’27) Heritage Society. He and his wife, Betsy, live in Atlanta. He has three children, Amanda, Anne Fitten, and Saunders.

"Thank you again very, very much for this award," Glenn said. "I appreciate my brothers, who actually had more to do with this probably than I did, and my wife, and my children, and my grandchildren." 

Neal Williams (’54) served as president of N.A. Williams Co. Inc. until his death on Feb. 14, 2015. As such, he led the company to become one of the largest and most respected automotive representative agencies in the country.

 

"I’m honored to be back at my alma mater and to accept this award on behalf of Neal Williams," said George Johnson ('54), a longtime friend and classmate. "When I talk to friends about Neal, they think I’m exaggerating. They think nobody could be that kind, smart, courteous, wise, a loving husband and father, successful, generous, funny ... and have the impact Neal had. And Neal did have an impact on everyone who knew him." 

 

As a boarding student at Darlington, Williams was elected president of his junior and senior classes. He also served on the Social Committee, was a member of the “D” Club and the Field House Club, and played football and baseball. As a senior, he was named to the All Mid-South All-Star Team as a first baseman.

 

"Neal is a large part of the reason Darlington is so close to my heart," Johnson said. "I only knew two students when I got here, and one of them was Neal Williams. ... He took me under his wing. I found out early in life that you couldn't have a better friend than Neal Williams."

 

After Darlington, Williams went on to attend the University of Georgia, where he was a member of Chi Phi fraternity, and serve two years in the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence Core before starting his career at his father’s company, N.A. Williams Co., in 1959.

 

Active in both industry and civic organizations, Williams served on the Board of Governors and Manufacturers Council of the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association; on the Boards of Trinity School, the Alexis Tocqueville Society, and the Pals Club; and as an elder at Trinity Presbyterian Church.

"If Neal could be here today, he would tell you that each of you have a chance here and now to build friendships and relationships that will shape the rest of your life," Johnson told students. "Many of your friends that you get to know here will be your friends 50 years from now. Neal was a genius at creating relationships and he honed that talent right here at Darlington."

Williams received numerous awards and honors during his long and successful career, including the 2009 AWDA Martin Fromm Lifetime Achievement Award. One year later, he and N.A. Williams Co. were recognized by Georgia Trend magazine and Cox Enterprises as the mid-size Georgia Family Business of the Year. He was also a Buckhead Boy of the Year in 2001 and one of Northwood University’s Outstanding Business Leaders of the Year in 2012.  

An active member of the Darlington Community, Williams served on the Board of Trustees and the Board of Visitors. He was also a member of the J.J. Darlington Society and the J. Daniel Hanks (’27) Heritage Society. He is survived by his wife, Virginia; their children, Neal Jr., Mary Fleming, Ridley and Chris; 12 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

"Neal loved Darlington," Johnson said. "He supported Darlington with his energy, his spirit and his mind. He would be humbled and honored by this award."