As the first in his family to graduate from college, Lanty Smith invested himself in all that Wittenberg had to offer, and his life was forever changed as a result..

"Without the liberal arts education that Wittenberg embodied, my life would have gone in a different, less fulfilling direction."

Instead, Smith went on to Duke University, where he earned his law degree with honors, and then became a partner with the international law firm of Jones Day, followed by serving as president of Burlington Industries.

Currently the founder, president and CEO of Tippet Capital, a merchant banking firm headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., Smith also co-founded other existing companies, including The Greenwood Group Inc., which operates the largest franchise worldwide of Manpower Temporary Services, MediWave Star Technology Inc., a cardiovascular research and diagnostics company, and Scion NeuroStim LLC, a medical device development company.

The current chair of the executive committee of the Board of Directors and lead independent director of Wachovia Corp., a diversified financial services company, Smith also chairs the board of Precision Fabrics Group, a leading manufacturer of high-technology, specification textile products.

Additionally, Smith, who majored in mathematics at Wittenberg, served as a trustee of Duke University and on the Wittenberg Board of Directors and established the prestigious, full-tuition Ellen and Lloyd Smith Scholars program in 2001 at his alma mater.

Active in his community, including serving as director of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine and of the National Humanities Center, Smith also founded the Piedmont Angel Network and continues to serve on advisory committees for Triad Health Project, the Central North Carolina Chapter of Multiple Sclerosis Society and Reading Connections.

Throughout his career, Smith has been recognized repeatedly, and during Homecoming 2007 he added yet another award to his portfolio, Wittenberg's most prestigious alumni prize, the Class of 1914 Award, given to an individual from the university community who has served Wittenberg above and beyond what might be expected of any contributor to the college's welfare.

"Wittenberg was a marvelous, supportive environment, which allowed me to develop and grow as both a student and a person," he said. "I'm delighted to be part of this community."

- Karen Gerboth '93