Hall receives Volunteer of the Year Award from CASE

Appalachian State University alumnus Avery B. Hall Sr. of Kernersville has received the Bill Franklin Volunteer of the Year Award from CASE District III. The award was presented Feb. 21, 2012, at the organization’s annual meeting held in Atlanta, Ga.

CASE, which stands for the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, presents the award to a volunteer who assists in advancing an institution of higher education through fund-raising, alumni relations and student recruitment. The award also recognizes the long-term effect on the recipient’s overall volunteer contributions on the institution and education.

Hall is a senior vice president at Wells Fargo. A 1993 graduate from Appalachian with a Bachelor of Science degree in communication and public relations, he earned a MBA from Pfeiffer University in 2002.

Hall is six-year member of the university’s Board of Trustees, a member of the steering committee for the Campaign for Appalachian, which seeks to raise $200 million for the university, and has given significant financial support to the Yosef Club and the Appalachian Fund. He also served as the platform speaker at the first Appalachian Freshman Black and Gold Convocation in fall 2011.

While at Appalachian, Hall was a member of the Mountaineer football team and a former two-time All American and four-time All Southern Conference football player. He was inducted into Appalachian’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999. He often speaks to former athletes about supporting Appalachian through their time and treasures, as well as serves as a mentor to current student-athletes by showing a positive example for them to follow.

“Avery represents the very best of our volunteers.  He is truly the epitome of an outstanding volunteer,” said Patrick Setzer, executive director of alumni affairs and annual giving, who spoke at the awards presentation. “He has a passion and affinity for the university, a commitment to serve our students, faculty and staff, loyal support through financial means and volunteer time and efforts on behalf of Appalachian, a purposeful and caring approach with his community involvement, and an unyielding support of his family.”

Active in his community, Hall acts as the current president for his children’s elementary school PTA, is a youth coach for football, baseball and basketball, and often hosts elementary school students on campus visit to Appalachian during football games to give them the opportunity to experience a collegiate athletic atmosphere and showing them the importance of preparing for college and accepting the responsibilities of good citizenships and strong moral standards.

He is a trustee at Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., business buddy chair of Greensboro Children’s Museum and co-chair of National MS Society Dinner of Champions. Hall’s past civic leadership commitments have included Leadership Greensboro, Action Greensboro’s Young Professional’s the United Way, the YMCA board member, and Wachovia’s Virginia/Carolina’s Diversity Council.

This is the second year in a row that an Appalachian graduate has received the Bill Franklin Volunteer of the Year Award from CASE District III. James K. Reaves of Kernersville, a 1993 graduate, received the award in 2011.