35 minute read
A Lasting Legacy
The Robert Webb Memorial Statue will soon become a reality – a lasting legacy to the founder of Webb School of Knoxville and the realization of his extraordinary vision.
by GINNA MASHBURN FORMER LONGTIME WEBB ENGLISH TEACHER
Legacy A LASTING
MAGINE THIS: You’re walking on the Webb School of Knoxville campus, heading up toward the Upper School building, and just east of the sidewalk on a tree-shaded hillside sits a somewhat I larger-than-life-sized bronze statue of Webb
School founder, Robert Webb. He’s peacefully seated on a large boulder, blending into the scene around him – a lush garden and teeming behind it the energy of students and staff moving from classrooms to buildings to playing fields – all on an incredible 100-acre campus that is a testament to this one man’s audacity and tenacity.
he Robert Webb Memorial Statue will soon become a reality. Renowned T
Nashville, Tennessee artist Alan
LeQuire is in the final stages of completing the statue. Best known as the sculptor of Athena Parthenos for the Parthenon in Nashville, LeQuire has created multiple public commissions, including Nashville’s Musica in Music
Row, Tennessee Vietnam Veteran’s
Memorial and Cultural Heroes, as well as the Tennessee Woman Suffrage
Memorial and the Burn Memorial in downtown Knoxville.
n the not-too-distant future, a teacher or prospective student might choose to share in the quiet repose of Webb’s Clayton Science Center garden, next to this bronze gentleman, or a Lower School child might offer him a warm hug, or a group of students might sit beneath his feet and listen as a teacher tells the inspirational story of how this lone man followed his dream to create a college-preparatory school here in his hometown. Bob Webb used the school model created by his grandfather, Sawney Webb, in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, and his uncle, Thompson Webb, in Claremont, California. Our Webb School is thus the third to bear the Webb family name. hose of us fortunate enough to be hired by Robert Webb and to work for him knew first-hand of his insistence on academic excellence, his integrity in all matters, and the value he placed on a well-rounded education that included sports and the arts as well as a traditional academic curriculum. I personally experienced Mr. Webb’s brand of supportive leadership. In the mid-’70s, following my move to the Upper School after teaching eighth-grade English, he said, “You know, you caused me trouble with some parents when you taught Richard Wright’s Black Boy.” I had no idea there had been complaints and told him so. Bob Webb said, “Good. That’s the way I wanted it.” He told parents that I was a professional and he backed me up in my choice of texts. I was grateful for his support and trust.
For those teachers and past generations of students who knew Bob Webb, who heard his Chapel Talks or sat in his world religion class, the bronze sculpture will remind them of his image. Some who came after his retirement in 1984 and death in 2005 may have casually observed the oil portrait done by Webb graduate John W. Kelley ’70 in the Central Building, or his picture might appear in an occasional school publication. However, this sculpture is designed for people of all school generations – past, present and future – to better appreciate the man whose academic rigor and high standards permeate the school’s culture.
Iwas reminded again of Bob Webb's skill when I recently reread Jack Neely’s ’76 excellent history of the school, A Splendid Instinct. The quality that stood out for me was Mr. Webb’s ability to change, to adjust to shifting social realities. Janet Colbert, retired Webb Latin teacher, recalled one of his Founder’s Day talks in which he said, “The present school was not Plan A, nor was it really Plan B.” He originally envisioned a boys-only-residential school, but when Knoxville parents caught on to the success of the boys’ school and pleaded with him to admit their daughters, he pivoted and a separate girls’ school emerged, only to see both schools combine in 1968. He became convinced that a co-ed day school was much more likely to succeed.
Plan A also did not include Black students, although Mr. Webb made it very clear that he did not intend Webb to be a “white flight” school. Many I people assumed that was his purpose, given the Civil Rights turmoil of the 1950s and ’60s. Webb’s Board of Trustees announced an openadmissions policy in 1966 and the school welcomed its first Black student, Nick Wynn, that fall. Three years later, Bob Webb spoke at the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools' annual meeting and urged his fellow educators to integrate just as Webb School had done. He talked of the moral reasons to do so as well as the need to prepare students “for the realities of their lives ahead, much less a position of leadership.” And he acknowledged his own shift in thinking, noting, “You will recognize in hearing these words from my lips that no saint sings louder than the reformed sinner.”T
In the not-too-distant future, a teacher or prospective student might choose to share in the quiet repose of Webb’s Clayton Science Center garden, next to this bronze gentleman, or a Lower School child might offer him a warm hug, or a group of students might sit beneath his feet and listen as a teacher tells the inspirational story of how this lone man followed his dream to create a collegepreparatory school here in his hometown.
Robert Webb was a modest man. A favorite story tells of his taking an art class at the University of Tennessee after he retired. The professor asked students to introduce themselves and to give a little information about their background. The founder of the most prestigious independent school in Knoxville said, “My name is Bob, and I was in education.” So, what would a modest Robert Webb think of a sculpture of himself on campus? I agree with Spartan Class of 1962 alumna Cheryl Massingale who said he would probably be a bit embarrassed. And while he wouldn’t have expected such a tribute, he would have nevertheless felt honored and proud. And I’m certain that as an avid art lover, Mr. Webb would have been happy to become such a prominent and enduring fixture on the campus he loved.
he people involved in bringing this project to fruition hope that future viewers of the sculpture will be inspired to learn from Robert Webb’s story and will recognize how hard work, a touch of audacity and the tenacity to pursue a goal – even against pretty big odds – can lead to remarkable results.
statue of a famous person is a time- honored way of recognizing their influence on an institution. Writing about Alan LeQuire’s sculptures, author Madison Smartt Bell says that LeQuire believes “the human figure serves as the primary carrier of significance, and that the human figure is the single subject to which all viewers inevitably respond.” We feel certain that future generations will respond with delight and wonder to this figure of Robert Webb, sitting on the tree-shaded campus he built from scratch.
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Left
(l to r) Nashville sculptor Alan LeQuire, Julie Webb, wife of Robert Webb, Julie and Bob Webb’s daughter Susie Webb Ries ’71, and Susie’s son Russell Ries Jr. visited LeQuire’s studio in Nashville to view the clay sculpture of Robert Webb that will soon be cast in bronze.
A
Webb School would like to thank the following Robert Webb Memorial Statue Fund Advisory Committee members for all their efforts toward this cherished endeavor: Ted Cook ’69, Taylor Hamilton ’83, Deb Kile Hotchkiss ’66, Sheila Jacobstein, Ginna Mashburn, Lou Moran III ’82, Hugh Nystrom ’85, Mark Overholt ’83.
REMEMBERING MR.WEBB
MARK OVERHOLT ’83: I remember Robert Webb as a warm, passionate educator who led by example. He was inclusive and believed that educated people should understand those from different backgrounds. For this reason, he required all Webb students to take a world religion course, a progressive act in the mid-1950s. Mr. Webb taught me to listen to others with different views and to try to understand their perspectives.
When an opportunity came to participate in the statue project, I did not hesitate. The Webb community needs to remember Mr. Webb’s sacrifice to build our school. He started with little other than an indefatigable passion and vision to develop leaders. Students and alumni should be reminded of his service-oriented heart. He built this great school for us, not for his notoriety. I love the design of the statue – Mr. Webb sitting on a large rock with an open seat for whoever might want to join him. It will continue to remind us of Mr. Webb’s goal for each of us – to pursue our passions in the face of obstacles.
CHERYL MASSINGALE ’62: I came to Webb School my junior year, and those two years changed my life as I discovered a love of learning. When I returned years later as a teacher, I learned, first-hand, how Mr. Webb supported his faculty. He wanted Webb to be a special place, and he succeeded. Incidentally, I learned to drive in the snow while there. Bob Webb would never call off school for something as insignificant as snow!
"around the world.
Fellow Webb Alumni,
The current school year is well underway and we are reaching the end of the first semester. However, I wanted to take a moment and look back at the end of last year to welcome the Class of 2021 as the newest Spartan alumni. I’m especially proud of this class since it happens to include my daughter, Caroline, and her classmates. It was so impressive to watch them work through adversity and finish their senior year with a great attitude. It was even more exciting to watch them head out to do great things in the next chapter of their lives. Keeping with tradition, Webb’s alumni sponsored their final Senior Lunch in the spring and gave the graduates each a gift to use as they head off to college. I was reminded once again of the outstanding job Webb School does in preparing students to succeed in life after high school. Not just as students, but also as adults; able to adapt to changing circumstances, think critically in new situations and take a disciplined approach to the challenges they face.
Each graduating class adds another layer to the value of a Webb education for all of us. As in the past, Spartan graduates continue to be accepted to an impressive range of schools and earn a staggering amount of scholarships. Time and time again, Webb alumni then go on to do great things in their communities and around the world. This was clear during our Spartan Alumni Weekend this fall when we welcomed our Distinguished Alumnus/na Award recipient, a great group of Alumni Achievement Award honorees and classmates back on campus. Despite the challenges we still face with travel and organizing in-person events, we had a super turnout, and many enjoyed seeing the exciting new changes on campus. The Association is continuing its work to make Alumni Weekend even better. We’re exploring new events to host on campus and different ways to bring a larger range of classes together at the same time, so that you don’t have to wait for your reunion year to return to campus and reconnect with your friends.
Webb’s Alumni Association is moving forward in another important way as well. We’re thrilled to announce the formation of the new Young Alumni Board. We have a fantastic group of young alumni who have committed their time to create events and activities to help keep their classmates connected. Please take a moment to read the article on the next page from Neil Butler ’12, President of the Young Alumni Board, to learn more about the group and its goals. We really appreciate Neil and rest of the Board for their efforts in launching this new initiative.
Finally, we’d like to congratulate Allison Lacy Lederer ’95, who was recently elected as the next president of our Alumni Association. Allison brings a strong background to the group, including her work on the board of the Knoxville Museum of Art, where she led innovative programs, increased membership and engaged donors. We’re so excited about the ideas she’s already bringing to the Association and look forward to her continuing our growth.
As always, please reach out to Joy Edwards, Hugh Nystrom ’85 or me if you have any ideas or suggestions for the Association. If you haven’t already, please log in to webbalumni.org and set up your account. We’re always looking for new ways to keep this amazing network of Spartan alumni connected and involved, and you’re our best resource. Personally, I look forward to seeing you at an event or back on campus soon.
Russ Powell ’87 President, Webb School of Knoxville Alumni Association Parent of Caroline ’21 & Weiler ’24
WEBB’S YOUNG ALUMNI BOARD WAS
established in the spring of 2021 as a way of engaging with and growing connections among Webb School’s young alumni. What began as a friendly discussion about how young alumni can reconnect with the campus quickly grew into a group of alumni dedicated to further developing both the young alumni community and the current
New Young Alumni Board to strengthen connections, community & involvement of young alumni
student experience. Across multiple class years, there was one thing that each Young Alumni Board member shared with one another: the desire to give back to the Webb School community.
Over the course of the past few months, the Young Alumni Board has put together a handful of action steps to serve as a resource for the Webb School community. The Board had the opportunity to meet with the school’s new House Council over the summer, which better helped frame our work ahead. Through that, the Board began finding ways to connect with current students, the most fruitful of which was actively engaging young alumni as a resource to the school’s on-campus clubs. From discussions with current students, it seems the community is ready to reinvest in the campus traditions that make Webb School such a special place, and the Young Alumni Board is excited to support these efforts in whatever way we can.
Ultimately, the Young Alumni Board’s work centers on relationships. Whether they be between alumni and students, students and networking opportunities, or alumni-to-alumni, there exists a common thread of connectedness and relationship-building in each of the Board’s goals.
Below is our Young Alumni Board’s mission statement. While admittedly ambitious, it does a great job of encapsulating all that the Board is currently working to achieve.
The Young Alumni Board exists to support and develop the extended Webb School community through:
Lastly, it is important to note that the Young Alumni Board is not static. Given how new it is, it cannot afford to be. Rather, its members have been excited to discuss new ideas and perspectives as they arise. With that in mind, we are always open to feedback, input and ideas. Please don’t hesitate to connect with our Young Alumni Board; contact us at webbyoungalumni@gmail.com if you have anything you would like to share. We would love nothing more than to hear from all of you, so that we can best represent the interests of the entire Webb School community! MEET THE BOARD
President Neil Butler ’12
Stephanie Biggs ’11
Marjorie Butler ’12
Taylor Cao ’11
Catherine Carter ’15
Zach Dooley ’10
Todd Kelly Jr. ’14
Connor Moore ’11
Jane Romano ’12
Donovan Whiteside ’10
n Advancing the school’s initiatives n Becoming more invested in the current student experience n Connecting current students to resources and networks accessible via the school’s young alumni n Building relationships among the school’s young alumni network n Increasing engagement in giving (via time, financial donations or other resources) among young alumni n Connecting young alumni with volunteer opportunities within the Webb School community n Encouraging pride in and support for the school n Advocating for an environment of diversity and inclusion in all of its forms n Providing ongoing support to the school’s Alumni
Association as a whole
Fifth Third Bancorp EVP, Chief Legal Officer, Susan B. Zaunbrecher’77, Named Distinguished Alumna for 2021
Each year, Webb School of Knoxville hosts several events to recognize and honor the achievements and contributions of its alumni. Spartan graduates are an integral part of the Webb School legacy, and the school is extremely proud to celebrate their accomplishments.
For 2021, Webb named Class of 1977 alumna Susan Buonocore Zaunbrecher as the recipient of its Distinguished Alumnus/na Award. The honor is among the highest bestowed upon a member of the school’s alumni community, and is presented annually to a Spartan alumnus/na whose
Above: (l to r) Coordinator of Development and Alumni Affairs Joy Edwards, Susan B. Zaunbrecher’s husband, Don Zaunbrecher, Susan B. Zaunbrecher, and Webb Director of Development, Hugh Nystrom ’85.
business or professional accomplishments and service to others exemplify the goals of Webb School in the spirit of its motto, Principes Non Homines - Leaders Not Men.
Zaunbrecher is an Executive Vice President and the Chief Legal Officer of Fifth Third Bancorp and Bank in Cincinnati, Ohio. Fifth Third is the 11th largest commercial bank in the United States. At Fifth Third, she manages the legal and communications departments, consisting of over 110 employees. She also serves on the 12-member Enterprise Committee, which drives the company’s strategy and operations. A member of Fifth Third’s inaugural Executive Diversity Leadership Committee, Zaunbrecher is also the executive sponsor of the Women’s Executive Business Resource Group.
Prior to joining Fifth Third, Zaunbrecher was a partner with the law firm of Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, where she practiced for over 28 years after graduating from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. At Dinsmore, she led the corporate department while maintaining a busy corporate and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) practice. Her specialty was providing legal services to financial institutions, including Fifth Third. Zaunbrecher served on the firm’s Board of Directors for 17 years and was the first woman member of the Board’s Executive Committee as well as the first woman department chair at the firm. She also chaired the firm’s Recruiting Committee and Diversity Committee for several years.
A graduate of Tulane University where she completed her bachelor’s degree in art history, Zaunbrecher is the Chair of the Alpaugh Family Economics Center at the University of Cincinnati. She is also a member on numerous not-for-profit boards, including: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, REDI Cincinnati (real estate development arm of the Chamber of Commerce), Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio, Queen City Club, and Cincinnati Women’s Executive Forum.
In 2018, Zaunbrecher was named a University of Cincinnati College of Law Distinguished Alumna. She was also selected by Best Lawyers in America as the 2017 Lawyer of the Year in Cincinnati in Securities, and is listed as a Best Lawyer in Banking, Finance, Securities, and M&A. Her other accolades include 2016 YWCA Career Woman of Achievement selection, Girl Scout Woman of Distinction and recognition by the National Diversity Council as one of Ohio’s “Most Powerful & Influential Women.” In addition, Zaunbrecher was named a recipient of Webb’s Alumni Achievement Award in 2017.
Zaunbrecher returned to campus, August 26, to receive Webb’s Distinguished Alumnus/na Award and to speak with Lower and Middle School students at their morning assemblies, and later with the Upper School during Chapel.
Zaunbrecher shared how her experiences and her teachers at Webb helped build a foundation for her to succeed in college, law school and her career. She also noted how her Webb teachers took a genuine interest in her learning and well-being, which was instrumental in guiding her on her life’s path.
Having built a successful career marked by a series of firsts in executive leadership, Zaunbrecher also offered her perspectives on character, leadership, integrity, and the importance of adaptability.
A w a r d s ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT
2021
PICTURED: 1. Maribel Koella ’66 2. Jeff McCrory ’71 3. Sallee Reynolds ’76 4. Derek Kirk ’81 5. Greg Hagood ’86 & Frank Majors ’86 6. Carla Ainsworth ’91 7. Ellery Foutch ’96 8. Brad Smith ’01 9. Matthew Cross ’06 10. Taylor Cao ’11 11. Ariel Gale ’16 Webb's Alumni Achievement Awards are presented annually to those alumni who have distinguished themselves in their respective careers and have achieved outstanding success in their chosen professions while upholding the mission of Webb School of Knoxville.
This year, 12 Spartan alumni, nominated by their classmates and representing the reunion classes of 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016, were honored. We proudly present this year's Alumni Achievement Award recipients.
Maribel Koella is Director and Principal Broker of NAI Koella | RM Moore, a nationally certified woman-owned and minority- owned organization of professionally trained brokers, with international reach and local expertise in commercial real estate. Considered the driving force behind the largest commercial real estate firm in East Tennessee, Koella provides strategic counseling to clients, helping them envision and evaluate options, and then develop strategies aligned with their business aims. She also works with nonprofits on issues related to lease negotiation, property purchase and sales, and evaluating and responding to real estate donations.
With professional accreditations that include CRE, FRICS, SIOR, and CCIM), Koella and her firm’s association with NAI Global have created an unparalleled international network of professionals and research capabilities.
Since graduating from the University of the Americas of Mexico City with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Koella has built a professional career marked by firsts, including serving as the first female appraiser for the Tennessee Veteran’s Administration and the first woman CRE in Tennessee (one of 13 in the state). In addition, she was the first and remains the only female Industrial Designated SIOR in Tennessee and was the first woman chair of the NAI Global Leadership Board.
Also founder of the Knoxville chapter of the Urban Land Institute, Koella was presented with an Enterprising Women of the Year Award in 2016. In addition, she is a recipient of the National Association of Realtors’ National Commercial Award and a CCIM Impact Award. A two-time CoStar Power Broker honoree, she was also a Real Estate Forum’s Women of Influence selection and recipient of the March of Dimes Commercial Real Estate Industry Award.
Sallee Reynolds is Supervisor of Secondary Education for Knox County Schools. A graduate of the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science degree in joint elementary and secondary 1. mathematics education, Reynolds began her teaching career at Knoxville Catholic High School where she taught mathematics and chaired the school’s mathematics department. Also a coach for the Fighting Irish, she was voted Knoxville Catholic High School Teacher of the Year. Reynolds went on to teach mathematics and coach track and field at West High School while also pursuing her Master of Science degree at UT in administration and supervision. In 2001, she was named West High School Teacher of the Year. She transitioned to school administration, serving as assistant principal at Central High School, and then returned to West as principal. In 2007, she was named founding principal of Hardin Valley Academy, picking up Tennessee Association of Student Councils' State Principal of the Year honors along the way. While she initially intended to pursue accounting, Reynolds said she soon realized that her life was meant to go down a different path, partly due to the impact of Webb teachers Joyce Hunter and Frank Lee. “I loved the challenge that they provided, the relationships that they established,” she noted, “and the sense of accomplishment that I gained working in their classes. “Challenge, relationships and accomplishment are the qualities that I have brought to my classrooms, my schools and my career,” Reynolds continued. “A positive attitude and a strong work ethic are two things over which we have complete control and must be shared with others to build a strong sense of community . . . These traits are rooted in my time at Webb. My passion for education and what I put into practice today did not come from my four years of college; they came from having a phenomenal experience at Webb School!”
2.
Jeff McCrory Jr. is a Presbyterian pastor with over 40 years’ experience in churches and seminaries. Rev. McCrory has served in Presbyterian churches in California (Geneva Presbyterian Church, Laguna Hills), Colorado (First Presbyterian Church of Boulder), and Washington, D.C. (National Presbyterian Church). Currently, he is interim pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
McCrory is also a certified spiritual director. He teaches and ministers as a senior associate for Soul Shepherding, a spiritual direction organization.
An ordained minister, McCrory is a teaching pastor, and is experienced as a professor of the Bible and an associate pastor for discipleship programming. He taught Old Testament and New Testament studies and biblical Hebrew for seminaries in California, Colorado and Washington, D.C.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee, McCrory headed west, working with the Young Life organization. He later graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary in California with a Master of Divinity degree and went on to complete his Master of Arts degree and Ph.D. in Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Claremont Graduate University.
In addition to pastoring and teaching, McCrory is an avid acoustic musician, playing guitar, mandolin, octave mandolin, and autoharp in various Bluegrass bands, Christian worship bands, and roots rock and big band swing groups.
Thinking back to the teachers he had as a student at Webb School, McCrory says Webb English teachers Cabell Tutwiler and William Tadler were two of his favorites, adding, “They taught me a love of literature and how to think creatively.”
3.
Derek Kirk is the founder and president of The Restaurant Nerd, a restaurant strategy and marketing consultancy group focused on assisting Black-owned food service establishments. He is also the founder of soulPhoodie, an online community that informs, educates and entertains those passionate about Black food culture. soulPhoodie highlights the stories and showcases the talents of creators excelling and innovating in the world of food and beverage, including chefs, sommeliers, writers, and more in between. With nearly 150,000 followers and growing daily, soulPhoodie shares timely, fun and engaging content about all facets of Black foodways.
Kirk graduated from North Carolina Central University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance and went on to earn a Master of Business Administration in entrepreneurial management and marketing from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He has spent most of the last 20-plus years of his career as a brand marketer, working for and leading brands in the restaurant space, with a focus on utilizing technology to attract and retain customers.
While Kirk says he has many great memories from when he was a student at Webb School, two of his favorites, besides those of his fellow Spartan classmates, would be “overdosing on gummy bears and Toblerone pushed on us by the German Club on the long rides home on Bus No. 2,” he recalls, “and trying to negotiate the validity of my demerits with Mr. Snodgrass.” Carla Ainsworth is Care Team Medical Director and physician at Iora Primary Care in Seattle, Washington, where her practice offers comprehensive primary care for seniors. She is also a clinical faculty member at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
Ainsworth earned her bachelor’s degree from Kenyon College, majoring in chemistry and history. A national championship swimmer for the Kenyon College Ladies, she graduated as the all-time leader in NCAA Division III history with 26 national championships. During her four years with the Ladies, Ainsworth garnered 28 All-American honors, established seven NCAA records, and collected 15 conference titles. She was named Division III Swimmer of the Year three times, a first in NCAA history, and became the first woman to win the 200-yard freestyle four consecutive years. Additionally, she won four straight titles in the 100-yard free, set 15 Division III championship records, and is a four-time Academic All-American. Recognized as one of the greatest athletes ever at Kenyon College, Ainsworth was inducted into the Kenyon Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2019, she was presented with the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award.
Ainsworth completed her Doctor of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis, and later attended University of California, Berkeley where she earned a Master of Public Health degree in maternal and child health. Following her family medicine residency at Swedish Family Medicine-Cherry Hill in Seattle, Ainsworth was offered a fellowship in geriatric medicine at Swedish Family Medicine-First Hill.
At Swedish-First Hill, Ainsworth also served as a faculty physician in family medicine and geriatrics, as well as Associate Director of Clinical Operations and Family Medicine Residency Program Director.
Ainsworth continues to mentor medical students and residents and has been active as a board member for several organizations.
A w a r d s
Ellery Foutch is an assistant professor in the American studies department at Middlebury College where she 4. teaches classes on the art and material culture of the United States. Foutch graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College, majoring in art history, and later completed her Master of Arts at the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art. After earning her Ph.D. in the history of art from the University of Pennsylvania, she held postdoctoral teaching fellowships at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and The Courtauld Institute of Art in London. Foutch has published several articles on a variety of topics, such as patents for portable magic lanterns as illuminated, wearable technologies and 19th-century glass ballot boxes and political transparency. Her project, “The Sheldon Relic Chair 1884/ 2018,” received honorable mention for the Library Company of Philadelphia’s first biennial Innovation Award in 2019. Foutch’s research has been granted fellowships from the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Research Center, the Terra Foundation for American Art, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Her teaching has been supported by Middlebury’s Academic Outreach Endowment Grants and the Center for Community Engagement. Previously, Foutch served as co-chair of the Association of Historians of American Art and as co-editor of the “Object Lessons” column for Common- place: The Journal of Early American Life. Looking back on her time at Webb School, Foutch says that she’s grateful to her teachers for cultivating an environment of intellectual curiosity and rigor that foregrounded learning over grades. She added that she especially appreciated the skills of close reading and literary analysis that were honed over the years in many Webb English classes, where teachers also designed creative assignments that nurtured strong writing and the articulation of ideas. “Webb opened up so many possibilities to me,” says Foutch, “and I’m continually grateful.”
5.
Greg Hagood and Frank Majors are co-founders of Nephila Capital Ltd. Since its launch in 1998, the company has grown to become the largest catastrophe insurance-linked securities manager in the world, with over 250 employees firmwide.
Hagood completed his Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Tennessee and worked for Bear Stearns Companies in New York City, where he was responsible for trading and brokering mortgage servicing portfolios, advising on mortgage banking mergers and acquisitions, and structuring hedging instruments for institutional clients. He later joined Willis Group Ltd. in London to start what is now Nephila Capital.
Majors is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and a Master of Business Administration in finance from the Owen Graduate School of Management. He began his career as a reinsurance broker in New York City before moving to London with Willis Group Ltd.
Nephila Capital was the first to focus on the convergence of catastrophe reinsurance and weather risk transfer markets with capital markets. It was also the first provider of alternative capital to the reinsurance market and is a global leader in the business of weather and climate resilience risk transfer.
Hagood and Majors commented on their working relationship and a friendship that stems back to high school at Webb. “It definitely freaks people out when they learn that we went to high school together,” says Hagood. “But I also think that they like the story and figure that if we can get along with each other for this long, maybe we’ll be okay to deal with.”
“It’s been a ton of fun working with a Webb friend all these years,” Majors added. “We’re different personalities that complement each other, but we have a very similar worldview, and a lot of that came from Webb School. We both consider Webb to be, other than our families, the most formative influence on who we are.”
6. 7.
Brad Smith is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Russell Street Ventures, an innovative health care firm focused on launching and scaling companies that serve some of the nation’s most vulnerable patient populations. Smith is also the CEO of Main Street Health, a value-based health care company committed to serving rural America. Formerly co-founder and CEO of Aspire Health, which he grew into the nation’s largest home-based palliative care provider before selling it to Anthem, Smith later became Chief Operating Officer of Anthem’s Diversified Business Group.
Smith served as Deputy Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Deputy Administrator at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. He helped operationalize various elements of the federal response to COVID-19, including launching Project Airbridge. He was also a Board Member of Operation Warp Speed. At HHS, he launched payment models that lowered the price of prescription drugs, allowing rural communities to transform how health care is delivered. Smith formerly served as Chief of Staff at the Tennessee Department of Economic Development and was the founding Executive Director of the Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE).
Smith graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University and earned his master’s from Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He has lectured at Duke, Vanderbilt and the University of Pennsylvania, and has authored several articles.
Smith says that Webb School opened doors for him that he could never have imagined. “While at Webb, I met Bill Haslam,” Smith recalls. “With the encouragement of Bill and Webb’s president at the time, I applied and was accepted to Harvard, which opened my eyes to a world of opportunities.” Smith added that Haslam helped introduce him to Sen. Bob Corker, who gave him his first job out of college. “That opportunity indirectly led to a slew of others. Without Webb, I’m not sure if any of this would have been possible.” Matthew Cross is founding partner and Chief Executive Officer of OE Experiences, a consulting and development company focused on engaging experientially driven business models. OE Experiences, in partnership with Kituwah LLC, was recently retained to develop “The 407: Gateway to Adventure,” a 200-acre site located at I-40’s Exit 407 in Sevierville, Tennessee.
A graduate of Wake Forest University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the Calloway School of Business and Accountancy, Cross has a proven track record in the hospitality, real estate development, financial services, and themed entertainment industries. He was CEO of Boyd Hollow Resorts, Inc., where he oversaw the development of Ancient Lore Village in South Knoxville, a Top 5 announcement at the 2019 IAAPA Expo, and was vice president at USI Consulting Group. He also worked at Finard Properties, a Boston-based real estate development company, and in the finance department of Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. In addition, Cross was named to serve on the Themed Entertainment Association Board of Directors-Eastern Division.
“Webb School was an instrumental part of my journey to who I am and how I got here,” Cross says. “There is no doubt that its culture, value system and resources elevated my abilities and my character,” he noted. For Cross, his experience in Webb English teacher Warren Heiser’s class was particularly impactful. “The critical thinking skills he instilled in me and the confidence I gained in myself and in my public speaking ability helped elevate me in my career,” Cross said. “That cultivated ability stayed with me into my professional career and has allowed me to clearly and succinctly address large crowds, assess complex situations and communicate effectively,” Cross continued. “I believe we’re a summary of the investments others have made in us, and I left Webb with enormous intellectual and emotional capital that has benefited me and my family.” Taylor Cao is a seventh-grade science teacher at St. George’s Independent School (SGIS) in Collierville, Tennessee. For the 2020-2021 school year, he received St. George’s Apple Award for Distinguished Teacher, voted upon annually by the members of the current eighth-grade class. “The Class of 2025 was the first I taught at SGIS,” Cao said. “I watched them grow academically, win athletic championships and perform on the biggest stages. I was honored and humbled to receive the award from this special group of students.”
Cao’s path to education started after he graduated from Lipscomb University with a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science and moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to join Memphis Teacher Residency, a faith-based, nonprofit organization that recruits, trains and supports effective teachers in a Christian context. During his time in the program, he taught a variety of science courses in three different high schools across Memphis. Cao is also a graduate of the New Memphis Embark program, a four-month engagement that empowers high performing 20-somethings to grow as leaders and build relationships as they help make a difference in Memphis.
This fall, Cao transitioned out of the classroom and stepped into the role of Director of Student Life at St. George’s. In his new position, he is responsible for promoting student connections through events such as homecoming, class trips and prom.
Cao says that his time as a student at Webb School prepared him to lead in the real world. “When I arrived at Webb, it was the first time I had been in an uncomfortable situation,” Cao recalls. “My peers looked different from me. My teachers expected more from me. I had to learn how to adapt quickly to my new normal. I struggled to do this while balancing homework, practices, relationships, and everything else that comes with being a high schooler.” Now, as an educator working in a school similar to Webb, Cao says he can use what Webb School taught him to help students who may have similar experiences.
Ariel Gale is a graduate student at Emory University, with research interests in quantum chemistry, high-pressure 8. chemistry, atmospheric chemistry, prebiotic chemistry, and computational chemistry. She graduated from Furman University with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and a minor in women’s, gender and sexuality studies. As an undergraduate, she was a member of a computational chemistry research group, studying solvent effects, configurational sampling and non-covalent interactions. She has authored several papers on the role of molecular water clusters in the origin of life and climate change. Gale was the recipient of the highly selective Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and was chosen for the Beckman Scholars Program, a mentored research experience for exceptional undergraduate students in chemistry, biological sciences or interdisciplinary combinations thereof. Gale served as a peer tutor, teaching assistant and leader in the Women’s Chorale at Furman. As a senior lab member, she also helped train new students in computational techniques and guided them through their research experiences. At Emory, Gale received a Women in Natural Sciences fellowship and, together with an ARCS Foundation Scholarship Award, she is focusing her research on developing high- pressure quantum chemistry methods as well as optimizing workflow and developing new methods for calculating redox potentials of organic and organometallic molecules. She continues to mentor students, including assisting chemistry undergraduates in applying to graduate school through the Chemistry Graduate School Prep Club. Gale says that her experience at Webb gave her the confidence to pursue her interests and seek out exciting opportunities. “After building so many good relationships with my Webb teachers and seeing how they believed in me, I felt totally comfortable as an undergraduate in approaching professors to discuss their research or have a quick conversation,” she noted. “I cherish the connections that I have built in my communities with both my peers and mentors, and that started at Webb School.”
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Spartan Alumni Weekend
WELCOME BACK SPARTANS! After last year’s Spartan Alumni Weekend was halted due to COVID-19, alumni near and far eagerly returned to campus this fall to celebrate the Green & White.
The presentation of Webb's Distinguished Alumnus/na Award; catching up with classmates and friends at the Spartan Alumni Tailgate; cheering on the Men in Green at the Webb vs. Gibbs football game; campus tours with student ambassadors; Webb’s Alumni Achievement Awards luncheon; and evening class parties all highlighted this year’s Spartan celebration. During the football game, Webb honored retired football coach Randy Carroll for his 42 years of coaching at Gibbs and at Webb. Also, for her 35-plus years as Webb athletic trainer, Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinic’s Lisa Schutt was recognized with the announcement that Webb’s training room has been named in her honor. W
