BOONE—Six individuals with close ties to Appalachian State University have been named honorary alumni by the Appalachian Alumni Association. The recipients were honored July 17 during an event on campus.

They are D. Grady Moretz Jr. of Boone, Dr. Brenda Latham-Sadler of Lewisville, Edward H. Springs of Blowing Rock, Larry D. Stone of Wilkesboro, David A. Thompson of Charlotte and Daphne W. Urquhart of Asheville.

Nancy and Neil Schaffel of Florida, who received the honor in 2014 but were unable to attend that year’s awards event, also were recognized during the event.

The honor recognizes individuals who have given unselfishly of themselves to Appalachian but never graduated from nor attended the university. Recipients are individuals who have a strong commitment to the university’s mission and exemplify outstanding service to the university.

Grady Moretz

Moretz, with his family, owns and operates Appalachian Ski Mtn., the first ski area to operate in Northwestern North Carolina. Over the years, hundreds of Appalachian students have worked at the ski resort, learned to ski or snowboard there, and some have gone on to careers in the ski industry. Moretz and his family often host university and alumni events at their ski lodge.

Moretz and his wife, Reba, have enriched the lives of countless faculty and students at Appalachian with their support of scholarships and academic, arts and athletics programs.

Moretz’s vision and business acumen was instrumental in founding An Appalachian Summer Festival. The event, held annually on the Appalachian State University campus, is one of the top 20 festivals in the Southeast and has become an economic driver in the community.

Brenda Latham-Sadler

Latham-Sadler is a physician in family medicine and an associate dean and associate professor of family and community medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. She served for 11 years on the Appalachian State University Foundation Board of Directors, from 2003-14. In that capacity, Latham-Sadler not only witnessed a rising interest in the university and growth of its academic reputation, she was among the Foundation Board members whose passion for and interest in the university helped guide the successful $203 million Campaign for Appalachian.

She offered additional support of university programs and activities, including The Appalachian Fund and the Chancellor’s Fund for Excellence.

Through her position at WFSM, Latham-Sadler supported a partnership between the medical school and Appalachian that has expanded enrollment in WFSM’s physician assistant (PA) program by offering coursework for as many as 32 students at the school’s satellite campus at Appalachian.

Edward H. Springs

Springs is founder and former owner of Edward H. Springs Interiors in Charlotte. He has been an important friend of and ally for Appalachian and its students since 2001, quietly working behind the scenes to support the university’s LGBT students and helping students attend the university with his support of scholarships.

Springs’ focus on students extends to Belk Library and Information Commons, the Walker College of Business, Appalachian Athletics, Department of Theatre and Dance and The Appalachian Fund.

He supports the university’s curricular programs by offering his expertise in interior design, drawing and many other aspects in the academic arena to assist students and faculty.

In December 2014, Springs and his partner Bo Henderson were honored with the naming of the Bo Henderson and Ed Springs LGBT Center in Appalachian’s Plemmons Student Union.

Larry D. Stone

Stone had a life-long career with Lowe’s Companies, retiring as president and chief operating officer in 2011. His support of Appalachian has spanned academic and athletic programs.

He helped secure a lead gift from Lowe’s Companies Inc. and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation to support Appalachian’s entry in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011.

Stone has served the university as a member of the Appalachian State University Foundation Board of Directors. In that capacity, he provided invaluable guidance as vice chairman of the property management committee.

He also served as a vice chairman on the University’s Athletics Feasibility Committee, which recommended that Appalachian pursue membership in a Football Bowl Subdivision conference. He supports student-athletes through contributions to the Yosef Club and is a partial owner of a suite in the Appalachian Athletics Center at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

David A. Thompson

Thompson had a 27-year career with the investment management firm WEDGE Capital Management, LLP as a general partner and chief financial officer.

He has been associated with the Walker College of Business at Appalachian since 2010, when he began a four-year term on the college’s advisory council. He also joined the faculty that year as an instructor and mentor to students in the Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance. That same year, he began working with the college’s Bowden Investment Group, serving as an advisor to the group’s student members and helping them prepare for the annual CFA Institute Research Challenge.

Thompson also works with the college’s BB&T Student Leadership Center, often speaking about leadership in classes and workshops sponsored by the center. He also has been the guest speaker at a Walker College of Business Honors Day Convocation.

Daphne W. Urquhart

Urquhart, who has a CPA practice in Asheville, became an advocate for Appalachian when her son enrolled as a student at the university.

She is a top 20 donor to The Appalachian Fund and contributor to the Yosef Club Scholarship Fund and Athletics Facilities Enhancement Campaign, Urquhart has joined thousands of other Appalachian community members in generously supporting university programs, activities and scholarships that help provide students with a well-rounded university experience.

Urquart has served on the Yosef Club Advisory Board, helped host Asheville Alumni Chapter events, participated in the Department of Athletics’ Spring Tour events, volunteered on #iBackAPP Day fundraising campaign, and represented the university at several away tailgate activities.

Nancy and Neil Schaffel

The Schaffels became acquainted with the university through Nancy’s parents, the late Muriel and Arnold Rosen, who helped establish An Appalachian Summer Festival.

The couple expanded the Rosens’ support of Appalachian and the arts by helping establish the Rosen-Schaffel Competition for Young and Emerging Artists, part of An Appalachian Summer Festival.

In May 2014, the Schaffels created the Rosen-Schaffel Endowment for Classical Music Programming. The endowment, funded by a $1.2 million commitment, honors the legacy of Arnold and Muriel Rosen. The endowment will support programming that explores the relationship between classical music and other art forms, such as theatre, dance, film and the visual arts.

In addition to their philanthropy, which includes support of the University’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies, the Schaffels have served in leadership roles as members of An Appalachian Summer Festival Advisory Board.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.