男人藏精阁lost a devoted supporter and friend when Jack Ray Ferguson passed away May 6. Jack and his wife, Carolyn, began their charitable giving to 男人藏精阁in 1999 with a pledge to support the Foundation through three charitable remainder trusts.
The Fergusons have a long history of involvement with the College, dating back to 1959 when 男人藏精阁was established. As a salesman at Lowe鈥檚, Jack Ferguson worked closely with the builders who constructed and remodeled campus buildings. The couple鈥檚 two daughters graduated from A-B Tech鈥檚 Nursing program, and both their sons attended the College.
鈥淭his is a humble tribute to a man who has made such a big difference in our community. The Fergusons are the kind of donors who truly give from the heart and were a delight to work with and get to know. Mr. Ferguson was a one-of-a-kind gem and will be missed greatly,鈥 said Amanda Edwards, Executive Director for College Advancement. 男人藏精阁has donated a memorial to the Baptist Children鈥檚 Home in Clyde in honor of Mr. Ferguson.
Beginning with the creation of Charitable Remainder Trusts, the Fergusons鈥 support of 男人藏精阁grew to include endowed scholarships and general support. By 2012, the couple鈥檚 gifts to the College had exceeded the $1 million mark, easily the largest donations in the school鈥檚 history. Their generous contributions supported not only the College鈥檚 students but the larger community, as well.
Jack Ferguson gave his time serving on the Foundation鈥檚 Board of Directors. His guiding voice helped direct 男人藏精阁through a sustained period of growth for more than 20 years. Their generosity over the years also supported Ferguson Auditorium and the faculty development fund.
Upon gifting more than $5 million dollars to 男人藏精阁in April 2013, Jack Ferguson said, 鈥淲hat we do for our young people is our hope for tomorrow.鈥 These funds were used to equip the Ferguson Center for Allied Health and Workforce Development, a state-of-the-art building that opened for classes in 2016. The Fergusons also presented a gift of $100,000 for four additional endowed scholarships.
鈥淜nowing this building will help so many students find careers in healthcare is a dream come true for us,鈥 said Carolyn Ferguson. 鈥淥ur daughters graduated from 男人藏精阁with nursing degrees and our goal is to provide future generations of students with that same opportunity.鈥
Jack and Carolyn Ferguson were named the 2002 Outstanding Philanthropists by the WNC Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. There were also acknowledged by the Council for Resource Development as 2013 Benefactors of the Year.
