Cville Branch members Recognized by

ESU National for Excellence – April 2026

 
At the recent National AGM in New York, three Charlottesville Branch Board members received National recognition. 
 
  • Excellence in Leadership Award is presented to Cindy Ryan (Membership Recruiting Committee Chair) for her tireless and successful Recruiting and Retention for the Branch over several years.
  • Branch Honors Award is presented to Michael O’Donnell (Branch Treasurer). for his mastery, perseverance, and patience in preparing our Financial Reporting at the highest levels over the course of many years now.
  • Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to Dr. Phil Williams (Branch President).
As the case for President Dr. Phil Williams‘ ESU Lifetime Achievement award represents a legacy of commitment and contributions, for the record, and for the Branch and Society archives, here follows a shortlist of engagement, local, regional, national, and international, that spans nearly three decades and counting. We thought the membership might want to more fully understand the depth, breadth, and duration of Phil’s “ESU life.”
 

List of Accomplishments and Achievements: 

Dr. Willams has:

  • been an ESU Member for 30 years;
  • been a Branch Board Member since 2001;
  • been a National Patron Level Donor for 15 years or more;
  • been a Branch Program Chair for more the 20 years;
  • been a Branch President for 9 years, now in his second tenure;
  • been instrumental in presiding over and leading one of the most active Branches in the country at local, regional, and National levels;
  • personally solicited over $200,000 (one donor) in Branch-specific fundraising for TLAB and unrestricted funding for Branch programs;
  • had the vision and led the effort to expand the outreach of the Branch in financial underwriting in support of organizations with symbiotic educational missions;
  • been a driver in the hosting of two Region V meetings and promoted and attended Region V meetings for many years;
  • attended AGMs in Richmond, Chicago, New Orleans, Newport, Philadelphia (twice), New York City, and Cleveland;
  • been the keynote speaker at events in Sandhills (twice), Berne, Salisbury, Roanoke, Lexington (twice), Richmond, and the Charlottesville Branch five times;
  • hosted four Happy Hour events with the Branch, for three of which he was the primary speaker;
  • been sent by National, together with Alice Irby, to advise on the resuscitation of the Salisbury Branch;
  • been asked by ESUUS/National to represent it at the Opening of the Branch in Istanbul, and
  • personally recruited in excess of 150 members during his time as a member.

On behalf of the branch, we’d like to thank Dr. Williams for his energetic and enthusiastic leadership.  He has been and continues to be the engine that keeps this branch vibrant and moving forward.