A Bold Vision for William & Mary in the Southeast

William & Mary is on a roll and there is a great sense of Tribe Pride all around the world, including the Southeast region of the U.S. As the university continues to take For the Bold on the road, there is a tremendous feeling of excitement from loyal alumni, parents and friends — particularly as we approach the Oct. 5 campaign celebration in Atlanta. This excitement is especially evident among the six co-chairs leading the campaign in the Southeast region who are driven by their love for alma mater.

The Southeast co-chairs are:

• David Eklund ’82
• Fred Henritze ’76
• Tom Hollowell ’65, J.D. ’68, M.L.T. ’69
• Julee Wallace Kaplan ’90, M.Ed. ’94
• Jim Kaplan M.B.A. ’92
• Brooke Trible Weinmann ’79

More than 23,000 William & Mary alumni, parents and friends live in the Southeast region, which comprises Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The co-chairs collectively represent William & Mary classes across several decades and span multiple states across the region, which is critical as the university continues its focus on bolstering engagement and philanthropy across the globe.

The Southeast co-chairs all agree that the For the Bold campaign unites the William & Mary community in ways never done before in the university’s 324-year history. Over the next few years, they will be undertaking great efforts to communicate the various ways everyone in the region can get involved with the campaign.

In their outreach, they will encourage the William & Mary community to consider making a gift to an area they are most passionate about, to give annually to help sustain W&M’s mission and to stay connected with the university for all time coming.

Learn more about the co-chairs and their vision for the campaign below:

David Eklund ’82

Hometown: Naples, Fla.
Professional Experience: Chairman and co-founder of Aeolus Re. Founding partner of Aeolus Capital Management. President, chief underwriting officer and member of founding management of Renaissance Re.
William & Mary Affiliations: Trustee on the William & Mary Foundation and member of the Campaign Steering Committee. Parent of Sara Eklund ’15 and Melissa Eklund ’20.
About the Campaign: “The vision of the campaign in the Southeast is to maximize the participation of people affiliated with William & Mary who live in this region of the country, both in terms of the percentage of people who contribute as well as the magnitude of money raised.”

Fred Henritze ’76

Hometown: Atlanta
Professional Experience: Co-founder, president and chief operating officer of the Brookdale Group, a privately held commercial real estate private equity firm.
William & Mary Affiliations: Previously served on the William & Mary Foundation and the Class of 1976 Reunion committee.
About the Campaign: “If you are going to provide a quality academic experience it takes additional capital. By President Taylor Reveley putting a very ambitious goal of a billion dollars out there the university will benefit in many different ways.”

Tom Hollowell ’65, J.D. ’68, M.L.T. ’69

Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
Professional Experience: Retired. Former managing director and partner at Fidus Partners, LLC; Founding partner and managing director of Bowles Hollowell Conner & Co. for more than 20 years.
William & Mary Affiliations: Emeritus trustee of the William & Mary Foundation, member of the Campaign Steering Committee, former co-chair of the Class of 1965’s 50th Reunion Committee and current member of the law school’s Class of 1968’s 50th reunion committee.
About the Campaign: “Alumni should want to give back so future generations can benefit from the same great education they received. William & Mary afforded us vast opportunities to succeed by preparing us to compete and be successful in the marketplace.”

Julee Wallace Kaplan ’90, M.Ed. ’94

Hometown: Pickens, S.C.
Professional Experience: Life and wellness coach
William & Mary Affiliations: Former class ambassador, member of the Class of 1990’s Reunion Committee and member of the Campaign Steering Committee. Mother of James Kaplan ’17.
About the Campaign: "The act of giving to William & Mary is in essence the acknowledgement of the tremendous education that we received and the gratitude for the opportunities that it afforded us in our journey. As alumni, it is an honor to carry on the excellence of the university and to contribute to the campaign as much as possible so that others can gain the same wonderful experience that is W&M."

Jim Kaplan M.B.A. ’92

Hometown: Pickens, S.C.
Professional Experience: President of Cornell Dubilier Electronics, a manufacturer of capacitors for electronic and electrical equipment.
William & Mary Affiliations: William & Mary Business School Foundation, the School of Business Advisory Board and the Campaign Steering Committee. Father of James Kaplan ’17.
About the Campaign: “What I am finding is that many people in our area have not been reached before. In our little area of South Carolina, we are hoping to bring awareness to the campaign. We want them to view the campaign as an opportunity to get together with other alumni and share the great things the university is doing so they can get excited about supporting the campaign. Alumni should be aware of what’s going on with William & Mary regardless of where they live.”

Brooke Trible Weinmann ’79

Hometown: Atlanta
Professional Experience: Director of development and engagement at Connoisseurs Tours and co-founder of the Atlanta Girls’ School, an independent college-preparatory school for girls in grades 6-12.
William & Mary Affiliations: Parent & Family Council, Women & Philanthropy Leadership Circle, Campaign Steering Committee and the College of William & Mary Foundation. Mother of Eason Weinmann ’17.
About the Campaign: “Broad and deep participation in a campaign of this scope makes an important statement of support for W&M in the wider community. No matter where we live, for those of us who are part of the W&M family, participation at any level in the For the Bold campaign acknowledges, in a very real way, the gratitude and pride we feel being a part of this epic institution of higher education.”

The Atlanta campaign celebration follows others in Williamsburg, New York, Washington, D.C., and California. Just as during previous celebrations, there will be a lighting to promote Tribe pride and inspire everyone in the Southeast region to come together and help advance For the Bold. More details on the iconic Atlanta lighting will be shared later this fall.