Langfords Proudly Carry On Family Tradition

By BOB FERRANTE

A commitment to Seminole Boosters, Inc., is never a question. It’s in the Langford DNA.

Lawton Langford was a student at Vanderbilt in the 1970s when his father, George, hired Andy Miller as president of the Boosters, which began to transform the small group of alumni into a powerful fund-raising organization. When Lawton returned to Tallahassee to earn his MBA and law degree at Florida State, finishing up in 1982, he began to get involved with the Boosters.

“Andy grabbed me and said, ‘We need to come up with a new policy for student tickets to football games,’ ” Langford said. “I had been to Vanderbilt and they had a pretty good program where the student would be admitted, simply showing their ID. I drafted the very first student ticket policy of the Bobby Bowden era, and it was based on Vandy’s policy. Andy had his hooks in me at that point, and thereafter I had the opportunity to work with the Boosters in a variety of roles, including fundraising, investing the Endowment, bylaws, restructuring as part of the FSUAA, being on the Board of Directors and ultimately Chairman.” Lawton and Beth Langford continue to be actively involved with the Boosters, with Beth joining the Board of

Directors this year.

Lawton met his future wife, Beth, during an intramural softball game in 1980; she was playing while he was coaching the other team. Beth earned her bachelor’s degree in communication and public relations in 1981 and both have been active in shaping the Boosters’ mission over the last four decades.

Lawton served as the Boosters’ board chairman in 1993, the year FSU won its first national football title. Beth was part of the committee of 30 that helped celebrate and raise funds for women’s sports teams in the late 1990s.

“As a student at FSU my leadership skills were honed at Kappa Delta, serving as Chapter President, and as a charter member of the student Booster group ‘Scalp Hunters,’ ” Beth said. “That’s why it’s always been a priority to give back in time, talent and treasure.”

Lawton and Beth Langford, who have been married 36 years, have two children (Giles and Callie Corbin), a daughter-in-law (Jennifer) and a grandson (Jack). They have invested their energy and earnings into FSU athletics, helping ensure a strong future for student-athletes as well as the Seminoles’ 20 athletic programs. The Langfords have long been donors to football, basketball and baseball, as well as other FSU sports. They have hosted the FSU women’s basketball team’s Christmas party in each season since Sue Semrau arrived in 1997, and the Micco fire ceremony in the fall.

“Beth and Lawton have been a central piece to the Seminole family since I was 17 years old,” said Brooke Wyckoff, who played at FSU from 1997-2001 and has been an assistant coach since the 2011-12 season. “They have not only supported our program by coming to games, by hosting our Christmas party, by giving financially but they have been friends. They really have developed relationships with our coaching staff and our players through the years that tie us all in to what part of the Florida State family is. They are wonderful salt of the earth people.”

The Langfords are one of a group of 20 donors who have pledged an unrestricted leadership commitment as part of the Renaissance Campaign, which is a focused effort to receive gifts in support of a championship future for the football program. Lawton Langford says the football program is in a “time of renewal,” and he and Beth want to do what they can to ensure FSU athletics is on stable ground.

“Like father, like son,” Miller said. “Lawton is the image of his father, George, the dynamic leader of Seminole Boosters. Lawton has given his time and incredible talents to Seminole Boosters for decades and now his wife and partner, Beth, who has distinguished herself on a national level, have agreed to serve on the Seminole Boosters Board of Directors. Florida State University is extremely fortunate to have the support of this incredible family.”

Said FSU president John Thrasher: “I think the traits of leadership, service and philanthropy must be in the Langford DNA because Beth and Lawton certainly are carrying on the legacy of Lawton’s dad, George, who was a true giant in the community and the university. Beth and Lawton are incredible Seminoles. They never turn down an opportunity to assist Florida State. We are truly indebted to them.”

The Langfords feel the football program is in good hands with new coach Mike Norvell, who they have met a few times. They are impressed by Norvell as a leader of young men but also as someone who has been engaged with the Boosters, including the recent search for new CEO Michael Alford.

“Coach Norvell sat in for a full day and a half of the interviews with finalists,” Lawton Langford said. “He asked great questions. He helped sell the university the candidates. That’s unheard of. We’re really, really impressed with him.”

Beth described Coach Norvell as “A dynamic leader, yet a humble man and a man of faith. And I think that that plays well with the team.”

The Langfords have fondly recalled memories of games they’ve enjoyed in Tallahassee as well as traveled to watch FSU play at Clemson in 1988 and saw the famous “Puntrooskie”, and to the FSU-Notre Dame football game in 1993 that almost lost the Seminole’s first national title. They were also at Clemson in May 2018 when coach Mike Martin claimed college baseball’s all-time record for victories.

One funny memory was sitting in the Rose Bowl in January 2014 for FSU’s win over Auburn in the BCS title game.

“After Auburn scored late in the game, the Rose Bowl officials filled the canons with orange and blue confetti,” Beth recalled. “But then the Seminoles engineered a gamewinning drive in the final seconds. And then you see the field crew scrambling to pull out the orange and blue confetti and stuff in the garnet and gold confetti.”

A lifetime of memories. A lifetime of giving to the community. But for the Langfords, Tallahassee and FSU have meant so much to the family. It is where they met and raised their family. Giving back is engrained in who they are.

“We are so appreciative of what FSU means to our community and we take advantage of the many cultural programs offered by the university,” Beth Langford said. “We’ve been Opening Nights donors for decades. Living in a university town, such as Tallahassee, you don’t even have to look hard. There are so many educational, cultural, social and athletic opportunities. It has been great to raise our children with that. It has allowed generations of our families to enjoy sports and everything FSU has to offer.”