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The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Board of Trustees has honored four recipients with the William Richardson Davie Award, the board’s highest honor.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Board of Trustees has honored four recipients with the William Richardson Davie Award, the board’s highest honor.

Chancellor Holden Thorp and the trustees honored State Sen. Linda Garrou of Winston-Salem; Quintiles Transnational Corp. Founder Dennis Gillings of the Triangle; Chancellor Emeritus James Moeser of Chapel Hill; and State Sen. Richard Stevens of Cary during a dinner Wednesday (Nov. 17) at the Carolina Inn.

Established by the Board of Trustees in 1984, the Davie Award is named for the Revolutionary War hero who is considered the father of the University. It recognizes extraordinary service to the University or society.

Garrou is serving her sixth term representing North Carolina’s 32nd district in the State Senate. The senate’s senior budget writer for eight of her 11 years in office, Garrou has been a strong advocate for education. She was instrumental in supporting a successful $3.1 billion bond referendum for state universities and community colleges, as well as financial aid and enrollment increases at N.C. campuses. She has served on Carolina’s Board of Visitors.

Born in Atlanta, Ga., Garrou received her associate of arts degree from Sullins College in Bristol, Va., and transferred to the University of Georgia, where she earned a bachelor of science in education. She taught social studies for two years, and then came to Carolina to earn her master of arts in teaching.

In 2007, Dennis and Joan Gillings made the largest single commitment from an individual in University history: $50 million to the School of Public Health, renamed the Gillings School of Global Public Health.

Dennis Gillings’ generosity springs from long ties to Carolina. A native of Great Britain, he received his bachelor’s degree and his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Exeter, England, and his diploma in mathematical statistics from the University of Cambridge. In 1971, he joined UNC’s faculty as associate professor of biostatistics. While a full professor and director of the Biometrics Consulting Laboratory, Gillings consulted for pharmaceutical companies that needed help analyzing data from clinical trials. From these beginnings, he founded Quintiles Transnational Corp. in 1982. The company is the largest global provider of clinical trials and commercial marketing services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

Moeser came to Chapel Hill in 2000 as Carolina’s ninth chancellor, serving until 2008. During his tenure, the Carolina First Campaign raised a record-setting $2.38 billion. He helped launch the Carolina Covenant, providing a debt-free education to deserving low-income students – now a national model; oversaw the largest capital construction program in campus history; developed an academic plan; improved faculty salaries; supported research initiatives; and oversaw steady growth in faculty research funding. He revitalized planning for Carolina North, furthered global initiatives and launched Carolina Performing Arts, considered one of the nation’s top 10 university arts-presenting programs.

A native Texan, Moeser received his undergraduate and master’s degrees in music from the University of Texas at Austin. He earned his doctorate in musical arts from the University of Michigan. He is a professor in UNC’s music department.

Stevens is a triple graduate of Carolina:  a Rotary scholar who earned his bachelor’s degree in political science; his law degree; and his master’s degree in public administration. He was worked his way up the ladder of public service to become Wake County manager and, in 2002, was elected to the State Senate. His legislative duties have included co-chairing the appropriations on education/higher education and education/higher education committees.

Stevens served eight years on the Board of Trustees, including as chair. He is a past member of the Board of Visitors, a past chair of the UNC-Chapel Hill Foundation, the UNC-Chapel Hill Endowment Fund and a member of the Charles Gerrard Society. He is past chair and treasurer of the UNC General Alumni Association, which honored him with its Distinguished Service Medal. He received the John L. Sanders Student Advocate Award from the UNC Association of Student Governments.

Photo URLs:

Garrou:
http://urxserve.ur.unc.edu/netpub/server.np?find&site=Luminosity&catalog=catalog&template=detail.np&field=itemid&op=matches&value=9365

Gillings
http://urxserve.ur.unc.edu/netpub/server.np?find&catalog=catalog&template=detail.np&field=itemid&op=matches&value=9364&site=Luminosity

Moeser
http://urxserve.ur.unc.edu/netpub/server.np?find&catalog=catalog&template=detail.np&field=itemid&op=matches&value=9366&site=Luminosity

Stevens

http://urxserve.ur.unc.edu/netpub/server.np?find&catalog=catalog&template=detail.np&field=itemid&op=matches&value=9367&site=Luminosity

News Services contact:  Mike McFarland, mike_mcfarland@un.edu; 962-8593

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