Bell Tower Ball
Furman University holds an annual donor appreciation gala to recognize the service, leadership, and accomplishments of members of the Furman community. At the Bell Tower Ball, awards are presented to distinguished alumni, parents, and friends in celebration of extraordinary achievement.
Gordon L. Blackwell Alumni Service Award
The Blackwell Award recognizes an individual who has dedicated extraordinary service to Furman University or the greater community, advancing Furman’s position as a private institution with a public mission.
2025 Award Recipient
J. “Chris” Brown ’89
Greenville, South Carolina
Furman University
- BA, History & Political Science; Sigma Chi; Freshman Advisor (FRAD)
Mercer University
- JD, 1993
A native of Greenville, South Carolina, Chris has been an integral part of the Upstate legal community for more than 25 years. He is currently an attorney for Blair, Cato, Pickren, & Casterline, a firm that provides real estate legal services in Columbia, Lexington, Greenville, Camden and Spartanburg.
Chris is an active member of the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors and the Mauldin Chamber of Commerce, a Meals on Wheels volunteer and a former board member of Friends of Senior Action. He has volunteered many hours in the community presenting legal topics to organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association, the Greenville Area Parkinson’s Society and The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Furman. Chris has also been selected as a speaker for legal classes through the South Carolina Bar Association and has served as a contributing writer to several local publications.
As a Sigma Chi, Chris has given back to the fraternity at the local and national level. He served as the Furman University chapter advisor for 20 years, mentoring members, strengthening relationships with alumni and connecting fraternity members across generations.
Chris is a member of the Clearly Furman National Campaign Committee and a former member of the Alumni Board and the Young Alumni Council. He has also served as a Mock Trial judge and provided job-shadowing opportunities to Furman students pursuing legal careers.
The Blackwell Award recognizes an individual who has dedicated extraordinary service to Furman University or the greater community, advancing Furman’s position as a private institution with a public mission. This award is named in honor and memory of Gordon L. Blackwell, Sr. ’60, a trusted friend and leader of Furman University. Blackwell served as president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, chair of the Development Committee of the Board of Trustees and in a variety of other leadership positions supporting the University.
Previous Recipients:
- Lyles Alley ’33
- Becca Armacost ’89
- Eleanor Keese Barton ’21
- Lloyd Batson ’47
- Gordon Blackwell ’60
- Chris Borch ’78
- Marguerite Chiles ’40
- John Cothran ’54
- Boykin Curry ’37
- Jeanne Saunders Davis ’56
- Ray Davis ’49
- W. Randy Eaddy ’76
- Dave Ellison ’72
- Larry Estridge ’66
- Lillian Brock Flemming ’71
- Gene Funderburk ’67
- Gally Gallivan ’69
- Robert Galphin ’28
- Junius Garrison ’49
- Dr. Idella Glenn ’84
- Peggy Ellison Good ’67
- Marvin Hardy ’91
- Martha Whitlock Haywood ’37
- Gordon Herring ’65
- Sarah Weaver Herring ’66
- Robin McGary Herrnstein ’98
- Lige Hicks ’41
- Parma Tuten Holt ’62
- Lori White Housworth ’91
- Stanford Jennings ‘84
- Martha Mauney Johns ’47
- Dan Joyner ’59
- Schaefer Kendrick ’37
- Walter Kneece ’50
- Bill Lay ’49
- George Linney ’65
- R. E. Littlejohn ’35
- Cordell Maddox ’54
- Luther Maddox ’38
- James Marshall ’40
- Gaines Mason ’62
- Carol Mullikin Mauldin ’58
- David Mauldin ’55
- Tony McDade ‘79
- Bill Merritt ’44
- Thomas Mims ’21
- Bobby Morrow ’51
- James “Jim” Ney ’64
- Joseph O’Shields ’49
- John Peters ’43
- Sybil Donnan Peters ’43
- Bob Pinson ’61
- Dixie Littlejohn Pinson ’61
- Tom Pitts ’51
- John Plyler ’56
- Jack Powers ’56
- Gene Proctor ’42
- Lewis Rasor ’29
- Wayne Reid ’68
- Dick Riley ’54
- Kathleen Riley ’37
- Joe Roberts ’52
- Madeline Rogero ’79
- Susan Thomson Shi ’71
- Albert Southern ’27
- Tommy Stevenson ’65
- Sandra Melton Talton ’72
- Ty Talton ’72
- Tommy Thomason ’49
- Bill Timmons ’49
- Tom Triplitt ’76
- Newt Turrentine ’35
- Cam Gregory Williams ’65
- Louis Williams ’48
Tom A. Triplitt Outstanding Young Alumni Award
The Triplitt Award recognizes an alumnus/a who graduated in the past 20 years and who has brought honor or recognition to Furman through individual accomplishments or as a volunteer.
2025 Award Recipient
Jessica Taylor ’07
Alexandria, Virginia
Furman University
- BA, Political Science, magna cum laude; Senior Order; Who’s Who; Omicron Delta Kappa; Paladin (Editor in Chief); Study Away (Africa)
Jessica is the senate and governors editor for The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. Before joining Cook, she was a political reporter for National Public Radio for five years. She was also a contributing author to the 2020 edition of The Almanac of American Politics and was promoted to a senior author for the 2022 edition, becoming the first woman to hold that position in the book’s 50-year history.
Jessica was previously a senior analyst and reporter for The Rothenberg Political Report (now Inside Elections). She has reported for several prestigious news outlets over the past decade, including NBC News Political Unit, National Journal, Politico and The Hill, where she served as campaign editor. Her quotes and analysis have been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. She has also appeared on MSNBC, Fox News, C-SPAN and CNN, and she contributed expert analysis to election night coverage at CBS in 2012 and C-SPAN in 2020.
Jessica remains connected to Furman as a Pathways mentor and through her involvement with FurmanWIN events. She has also contributed to The Riley Institute panel discussions on immigration, politics and cybersecurity.
Presented by the Young Alumni Council, the Triplitt Award recognizes an alumnus/a who graduated in the past 20 years and who has brought honor or recognition to Furman through individual accomplishments or as a volunteer. In 2015 the Young Alumni Council voted to rename this award in honor of Tom A. Triplitt ’76, who exhibited extraordinary service to Furman during his 12 years as alumni director.
Previous Recipients:
- Keenan Adams ’05
- Chad Bennett ’03
- Tony Boccanfuso ’83
- Lauren Killey Briles ’02
- Tim Briles ’01
- Mary-Mitchell Campbell ’96
- Sali Christeson ‘07
- Jason Deal ’90
- Clint Dempsey ’05
- Chris Ferrell ’91
- Karen Foreman ’84
- Logan Hambrick ’02
- Courtney Tollison Hartness ’99
- Laura Waters Hinson ’01
- Rodney Johnson ’03
- John Ludwig ’94
- John Mancini ’98
- Susan Mangels ’86
- Angel Myers Martino ’90
- Christie Matthews ’96
- Billy Napier ’03
- Dottie Pepper ’87
- Neil Rabon ’81
- Anne Reeves Reich ’98
- Jason Richards ’01
- Bear Rinehart ’03
- Mark Sanford ’83
- Kartikeya Singh ’07
- Derek Snook ’08
- Jason Terrell ‘12
- Derek Waugh ’93
- Betsy Bishop Weiss ’89
- Todd White ’88
Carl F. Kohrt Distinguished Alumni Award
The Kohrt Award is presented in recognition of significant professional or personal accomplishments and in gratitude for continued loyalty to Furman University.
2025 Award Recipient
Cynthia “Cindy” Davis ’84
Bend, Oregon
Furman University
- BA, Economics; Golf
University of Maryland
- MBA, Marketing and Finance, 1987
Cindy Davis served as vice president of Nike Inc. and as President of Nike Golf. During her tenure, Nike Golf’s endorsement roster was led by two No. 1 golfers – Tiger Woods and later Rory McIlroy – and expanded to include over 50 professional players. Prior to Nike, she was senior vice president at Golf Channel, chief executive officer of Arnold Palmer Golf Company and vice president of the LPGA. In 2013, Cindy was named to Sports Illustrated’s “50 Most Powerful People in Sports.”
She currently serves on the board and chairs the nominating, governance and compensation committees for public companies Deckers Brands (owner of UGG, HOKA, Teva and Ahnu footwear and apparel brands), Brinker International (owner of Chili’s and Maggiano’s restaurants), and Kennametal Inc., a leading industrial manufacturer.
While a student at Furman, Cindy was a three-time All-American golfer and runner-up at the 1983 NCAA Championship. In 2011, she was inducted into the Furman Athletics Hall of Fame. She has been a member of the Furman Board of Trustees since 2021 and is currently serving in the role of vice chair. She is also a founding member of FurmanWIN (Women’s Impact Network). She recently partnered with golfer Brad Faxon ’83 to fund the Davis and Faxon Training Center at REK, which was dedicated in February 2022. In spring 2022, Cindy was the featured speaker at Furman’s commencement ceremony.
The Kohrt Award is presented by the Alumni Association Board of Directors in recognition of significant professional or personal accomplishments and in gratitude for continued loyalty to Furman University. In 2015 the Alumni Association Board of Directors voted unanimously to name this award in honor of Carl Kohrt ’65, in appreciation for his selfless service to Furman. Kohrt served as Interim President from 2013–14 and is a longstanding member of Furman’s Board of Trustees, acting as chair from 2006–08.
Previous Recipients:
- Chuck Ambrose ’83
- Julius Babb ’39
- Andrea Behrman ’76
- Furman Bisher ’38
- Robert Blocker ’68
- James Burks ’89
- Bal Carter ’75
- Richard Cass ’53
- John Coniglio ’40
- Edith Bowden Coogler ’34
- Lamar Coogler ’34
- Ravenel Curry ’63
- Beth Daniel ’78
- Aubrey Daniels ’57
- Rembert Dennis ’36
- Hans Einstein ’43
- Larry Estridge ’66
- Brad Faxon ’83
- Marshall Frady ’63
- Angela Walker Franklin ’81
- Barmore Gambrell ’15
- William Gambrell ’21
- Dave Garrett ’42
- Tom Goldsmith ’31
- Nina Entzminger Guinn ’11
- Clement Haynsworth ’33
- Walter Heacock ’43
- Greg Hill ’91
- John Holder ’77
- Frank Holleman ’76
- Gordon Howle ’37
- Weldon James ’33
- Dan Joyner ’59
- Betsy King ’77
- Herman Lay ’30
- Don Lewis ’61
- Fran Smith Ligler ’73
- Keith Lockhart ’81
- Deborah Malac ‘77
- James Marshall ’40
- Arthur McCall ’36
- Mike McConnell ’66
- Julie McElrath ‘73
- Mark Metz ’85
- Karen Parks ’83
- Mary Seawell Metz ’58
- John Mulholland ’78
- Dottie Greene Owen ’54
- Bob Owens ’38
- Sarah Reese ’71
- Penny Richardson ’22
- Dick Riley ’54
- Bennie Lee Sinclair ’61
- Max Steele ’43
- Roger Stevenson ’62
- Mary Stewart ’54
- Paul Stroup ’73
- Alex Stubb ’93
- James Taylor ’29
- Lizanne Thomas ’79
- Charles Townes ’35
- Henry Townes ’33
- David Trone ’77
- Charles Turner ’62
- Virginia Short Uldrick ’50
- Mac Walters ’42
- Lucius Weeks ’54
- Frankie Barnett Welch ’48
- Nat Welch ’42
- David Whitehurst ’77
- Sam Wyche ’66
Honorary Alumni Award
The Honorary Alumni Award commends individuals who are not graduates of Furman University but who have made significant contributions to its welfare, reputation, prestige and pursuit of excellence.
2025 Award Recipient
Gilles “Gil” Einstein
Daniel Island, South Carolina
Lafayette College
- BA, 1972
University of Colorado
- MA, 1974
- Ph.D. 1977, Experimental and Developmental Psychology
Gil is a professor emeritus of psychology at Furman where he taught from 1977 until his retirement in 2019. He was deeply committed to providing undergraduate research opportunities, guiding several of his students to coauthor publications and present their findings at conferences.
Gil has more than 100 publications, including six books. His research has been published in psychology’s top journals and has been funded by the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Institutes of Health and others. Gil has served on the editorial boards of several major journals, including Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition; Memory & Cognition; and Psychology and Aging.
Gil is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science. He received Furman University’s Meritorious Teaching Award in 1985 and the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities Association Excellence in Teaching Award in 2006. In 2008, he was named the William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of Psychology at Furman University. In 2010, he was designated a fellow by the Council on Undergraduate Research, one of only 14 across all science disciplines in the country. Gil’s other accolades include the 2010 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Distinguished Mentors Award, the 2013 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Science, the 2014 Association of Psychological Science Mentor Award and the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Conference on Prospective Memory.
Gil and his wife, Patty, recently moved to Daniel Island, SC, to be closer to their two daughters and grandchildren.
The Honorary Alumni Award commends individuals who are not graduates of Furman University but who have made significant contributions to its welfare, reputation, prestige and pursuit of excellence. Recipients become honorary members of the Furman University Alumni Association.
Previous Recipients:
- Dan and Ellie Boda
- Nancy Cooper
- Don Gordon
- Ralph Hendricks
- Kathy McKinney
- Paul Scarpa
- Minor Mickel Shaw
Wayne and Rubye Reid Alumni Career Services Award
The Reid Award is named in honor of Wayne ’68 and Rubye Reid and recognizes alumni who have made significant contributions to the career development of Furman students.
2025 Award Recipient
Carmen Ashley ’96
Atlanta, Georgia
Furman University
- BS, Biology; Who’s Who; Alpha Epsilon Delta; Student
Alumni Council; Association of Furman Students
Emory University
- MPH, Prevention Science, 2006
Carmen is chief of the Program Development and Services Branch in the Division of Adolescent and School Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She oversees two teams that manage cooperative agreements funded to local education agencies and non-governmental organizations. She is the principal investigator for a pilot initiative that focuses on developing and implementing school-based strategies to prevent substance use and reduce sexual risk among rural high school students. Prior to her current position, Carmen worked across CDC divisions to address health risks among adolescents.
Before joining the CDC, Carmen was the associate director for Programs and Operations in the Applied Public Health department at Emory University. For more than 20 years she has worked on school-based adolescent issues for public health agencies such as the American Cancer Society, the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Carmen is an active member of the American Public Health Association, the American Society for Public Administration and the American School Health Association. She serves on the board of the Georgia and South Carolina chapter of Breakthrough T1D. In 2024, Carmen served as a panelist for an Institute for the Advancement of Community Health event featuring women in healthcare dedicated to transforming health across populations. Carmen also hosted Furman students during a Paladin Career Trek to Atlanta in 2023.
The Reid Award is named in honor of Wayne ’68 and Rubye Reid and recognizes alumni who have made significant contributions to the career development of Furman students.
Previous Recipients:
- Bill Axmann ’59
- Chad Bennett ’03
- Frank Blackwell ’90
- Chris Borch ’78
- Jackson Buonamia ‘17
- Kevin Bryant ’85
- Kevin Byrne ‘91
- Hugh Carrol ’71
- Dave Ellison ’72
- Lillian Brock Flemming ’71
- Paul Foster ’02, Kylie Felker ’09 and Rob Victor ’09
- Brian Geppi ’04
- Peter Griffin ’11
- John Hough ’81
- Lynne Daniel Ivey ’83
- Kris Kapoor ‘94
- John McCarthy ’85
- Brad Merkl ’86
- Clare Folio Morris ’83
- Jeff Walker ’03
- John Weatherford ’73
University Partnership Award
The University Partnership Award honors an individual or organization who has worked with Furman to meaningfully contribute to the local or broader community by engaging citizens, promoting public scholarship and working for the betterment of society.
2025 Recipient
Michelin North America and Furman University share a vision of improving communities through innovative approaches to mobility and sustainability. This alignment of values has catalyzed transformative collaborations in academics, career engagement and research, creating opportunities that benefit students, faculty and the broader community.
One notable example is a logistics and warehousing project led by four Furman business students in partnership with Michelin North America. Through rigorous analysis and innovative thinking, the students developed actionable solutions that they presented to a Michelin leadership team. As a result of their exceptional work, each student was offered an internship and two secured full-time positions. This is just one of many ways Furman students gain real-world experience and career advancement through the partnership with Michelin North America.
Michelin North America also engages with Furman by participating in the university’s Career and Internship Fair, connecting students with meaningful employment opportunities. The company supports events like Data Analytics in the Upstate, promoting industry-academia collaboration to solve critical challenges. Most recently, Furman and Michelin launched the Intrapreneurial Professional Certificate program, which equips Michelin North America Innovation Lab members with the skills to lead with creativity and resilience, underscoring their shared goal of driving professional excellence and organizational growth.
Michelin North America’s commitment to diversity and inclusion further strengthens its connection with Furman. Through its longstanding support of the Riley Institute, Michelin North America has enabled over 170 employees to graduate from the Diversity Leaders Initiative, a program dedicated to cultivating inclusive leadership. The company also sponsors some of Furman’s signature events, including the Riley-Wilkins OneSouthCarolina Legislative and Civic Awards Banquet and the MLK Community Breakfast, fostering a culture of equity and understanding on campus and in the broader community.
In 2024, Michelin North America celebrated a significant milestone—50 years of manufacturing in South Carolina. Headquartered in Greenville, the company employs nearly 24,000 people across the region, including numerous Furman alumni, and operates 35 production facilities in the United States and Canada.
The Engaged Parent Award is presented to an individual or organization who has worked with Furman to meaningfully contribute to the local or broader community by engaging citizens, promoting public scholarship, and working for the betterment of society.
Previous Recipients:
- BMW Manufacturing
- City of Greenville
- LiveWell
- Piedmont Natural Gas
- Prisma Health
- Scansource, Inc.
- United Way of Greenville County
Engaged Parent Award
The Engaged Parent Award is presented to the parent or parents of a Furman student or graduate in appreciation of their commitment to education and leadership as volunteers.
2025 Award Recipient
Noel & Cynthia Francisco P’23
Cynthia
University of North Carolina
- 1991, Morehead Scholar
Johns Hopkins University
- 1995, Masters
Stanford University
- 1996, JD
Noel
University of Chicago
- 1991, BA, Economics
- 1996, JD
Noel, an attorney, is currently the partner-in-charge of the Washington D.C. division of Jones Day. He served as associate counsel to the President of the United States from 2001 to 2003 and was the 47th Solicitor General of the United States from 2017 to 2020, where he argued landmark cases before the Supreme Court. At Jones Day, he represents clients in a broad array of civil and criminal litigation, challenges to federal and state laws and regulations and government investigations and enforcement actions. His cases often have significant public policy implications, including in the areas of global climate change, opioids, asbestos, tobacco, firearms, health care, administrative law, free speech, religious liberty and separation of powers. Among his accolades, he was appointed by former President George W. Bush to the District of Columbia’s Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure, and he was recognized in The Legal 500 US Hall of Fame for his expertise in dispute resolution.
Cynthia is a retired attorney and an active member of the Furman community. She is a founding and active member of FurmanWIN and has previously volunteered to call and welcome the parents and families of incoming freshmen. Cynthia and Noel have two daughters, Caroline ’23 and Maggie. While Caroline was a student at Furman, Noel and Cynthia served on Parent & Family Council.
The Engaged Parent Award is presented to the parents of a Furman student or graduate in appreciation for their commitment to education and leadership as volunteers.
Previous Recipients:
- William and Carroll Flowers
- Carolyn Holcomb
- John and Stephanie Ingram
- Jim and Cindy Mabry
- Leighan and David Rinker
- Dan and Emilyn Sanders
- John and Ellen Yates
2025 Bell Tower Ball Photos
Here are a few highlights from the 2025 Bell Tower Ball.
Celebrate our Giving Society members!
Guests of the Bell Tower Ball are members of the White Oaks Society, Rose Garden Society and Bell Tower Society.