How does a casual business luncheon at a local Chinese restaurant segue into a significant portion of a $5,000 gift for the LSM endowed scholarship drive?
Enter Roy Leeds, specialty claims manager of IFG Companies in Burlington. Jim Drummond and Hal Walker of Elon’s leisure and sport management department were having lunch with Chris Smith, director of employer relations, when Leeds approached them. Leeds overheard their discussion of a golf tournament planned in a recent LSM 227 Programming and Event Management class.
Leeds asked, “You guys plan golf tournaments?” This “intrusion” evolved into the LSM Society forming a committee to organize a social golf outing for The Piedmont Chapter of Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters Society (CPCU Society).
Early in the process, Leeds gained approval from the CPCU Society leadership to extend any and all proceeds from the tournament to the LSM Endowed Scholarship Drive. The event was held April 5 at Stoney Creek Golf Club, and with approximately 15 sponsors and a full slate of golfers, the event was a great success. Work is in progress to expand this event and possibly make it an annual endeavor.
The balance of the funds for this gift were raised from the proceeds of planning a Sport Business Conference hosted at Elon on February 25 in McCrary Theater. Approximately 140 participants attended this LSM Society sponsored event, including students from Elon and 6 regional universities. Six professional speakers took part in the event, spearheaded by the outstanding efforts of Gabrielle Raymond ’06 of the LSM Department.
Pictured above from left to right are Hal Walker, student Emily Infanger, and Roy Leeds at the LSM Senior Dinner in May.