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ALUMNI Spotlights
Art Pue ’96: SERVING IN CIVILIAN LIFE
As a member of operation Detachment Alpha with a focus in military freefall insertion, Art served as the senior weapons specialist (18B), employing conventional and unconventional warfare tactics and techniques in individual and small unit infantry operations. Art was awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge as well as the Bronze Star for actions while serving in Afghanistan. Today, Art is president of veteran-owned Engineering Sales Associates and a Board member at Veterans Bridge Home. Art spoke to our Upper School students during the Veterans Day Assembly. As an alum, his message truly resonated with the students–talking about his time at Country Day, in college, and then the transition to the military and back to civilian life. His path to service has led him to continue to serve our greater community.
Patrick Brady ’13: THE CALL TO SERVE
With no family history of military service, Patrick felt the call to serve. He wanted to be a part of a team working toward common goals. After graduating Country Day, Patrick attended the United States Naval Academy and played baseball. For the Middle School Veterans Day assembly, Patrick spoke with students and teachers about the impact of his time in service and what lessons he learned along the way. He shared the importance of selflessness, and that no decision is ever made based on the potential impact on oneself. Most profoundly, Patrick emphasized rising to the occasion and what leadership looked like for him at such a young age in a high-impact environment. Veterans Day is a dedicated time to reflect on his experiences and to keep in touch with fellow service members.
Will Pitts ’04: TEACHING GRIT
In his 13th year at the Charlotte Sports Foundation, Will currently serves as the chief operating officer. The Sports Foundation is an organization dedicated to driving economic impact and adding to the quality of life for the Charlotte region through high profile sporting events. They bring some of the biggest sporting events to Charlotte each year that range from the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and ACC Championship in football to the Ally Tipoff and Jump Man Invitational. Will spoke with our seniors and their parents for Senior Convocation and shared a powerful message on GRIT. “A characteristic that can be defined as a person’s perseverance but also used as an acronym for keys to success. Goal-oriented, Resilient, Integrity, and Teamwork.” Putting real life examples to each one, Will proudly encouraged our seniors as they began their last lap at Country Day.
